In the short term, what worries and what occupies Frenkie de Jong is overcoming the injury to his right ankle that has kept him off the playing field since last September 23. In this sense, the Dutchman is pushing his options to be in the classic on October 28 (it is very complicated for him), and on Monday they removed the splint that protected his joint, so he can now support his foot and start working with sports shoes. But beyond the classic and in the medium term, what occupies the club’s executives, especially the sporting director Deco, is addressing the renewal of the midfielder, transformed into capital for Xavi Hernández.
Currently and with the salary deferrals that the club agreed with him at the time, De Jong has the highest salary in the squad. At the time, the Dutchman agreed to adapt his salary in times of pandemic and in a desperate situation for the club, but all these arrears have to be completed, and De Jong’s contract originally comes from the time of Josep Maria Bartomeu, when the Salaries were in crescendo with the passing of the seasons. De Jong has a contract until 2026, that is, the remainder of this season and two more, and he is in no rush to really sit down to negotiate.
But for the club it is a priority to try to adapt the famous wage bill to the financial fair play parameters of LaLiga, a usual workhorse in the offices. In the background, also the desire to be able to incorporate and register the Brazilian Vitor Roque in the winter.
Barça’s idea is to put on the table a contract extension for several more years for De Jong and at the same time rearrange his salary, especially as it relates from now until 2026.
Deco’s work in this sense is arduous. First, trust must be regained with the player’s entourage and, especially, with his representative, Ali Dursun, who was greatly diminished in the summer of 2022. Then, in an undisguised manner, the club put De Jong on the market and Behind the scenes, he was pushed to leave or to categorically reduce his salary. The footballer preferred to remain in Barcelona, ??where he feels very comfortable since he arrived as a strategic signing in 2019. At 26 years old, a fantastic age in which he combines maturity and a long way to go, De Jong knows that he can have good offers away from Barça, but right now his desire is to remain with the Blaugrana, so both parties, sooner or later, would be condemned to reach an agreement.
A couple of weeks ago, Barça’s sporting director already had initial contact with the Dutchman’s representative. It was more of a formal presentation meeting and little else, but Deco took the first step. “We want Frenkie at Barça for many years, he is at a perfect age and is playing at a high level. In the end the player is the one who decides his life. The important thing is that I see a happy, happy player, enjoying himself, playing football at a high level. And at Barça the players have to be happy to play at their best level, knowing the pressure that exists, but that they are comfortable, and I see Frenkie comfortable, he has a contract for this season and two more and the important thing is that he Continue enjoying the club, just like the rest,” said Deco from Brazil in an interview published yesterday by Mundo Deportivo.
The sports director has traveled to his country during the club football break to visit Vitor Roque (he was with him on Monday) and also meet with those responsible for the striker’s club, Athletico Paranaense. In a couple of months he will be over the winter market. Barça has no further moves planned other than being able to register the Brazilian attacker. The financial situation is not enough.