Frenkie de Jong might be the most underrated player in the Barcelona team. While most of the attention goes to teenager Gavi, who continues to impress for club and country, or the 20-year-old Pedri, who is constantly compared to Xavi, Frenkie de Jong is the glue that holds everything together for the Catalan, and they know it.
The Dutchman was heavily pursued by Erik ten Hag when he became Manchester United manager, but the former Ajax player turned down multiple contract offers from the Red Devils to stay. That show of loyalty may have paid off, as Barcelona are prepared to offer the midfielder a lifetime contract.
Barca reportedly eyeing contract for life for Frenkie de Jong
Barcelona may not be the team they once were ten years ago, but they still have the power to attract some of the world’s best players. Despite several interests from Manchester United in the past two seasons, Frenkie de Jong has remained loyal to Barcelona, even going as far as taking a pay cut and rejecting the opportunity to reunite with his former manager at Ajax.
Considered a huge part of the Barcelona setup, the officials higher up at the club are keen to tie the former Ajax player to a long-term contract, the type that would see him end his career at the Nou Camp, but will he be willing to commit to such a deal?
According to GOAL, the long-term contract could include a staggered wage agreement, which De Jong may not be willing to accept. The Dutchman has already taken a pay cut to stay at Barcelona, and a further reduction in salary may not be an ideal option for the player.
Also, players’ ambitions change almost every season, so committing to a club for the rest of his career at just 26 may look like a risk to the player. Frenkie de Jong remains injured for the club and may miss the El Clasico scheduled for October 29 at the Camp Nou.
Xavi must be worried about the team’s injury crisis, as Jules Kounde, Robert Lewandowski, Pedri, and Raphinha are also out due to injury.
When did Frenkie de Jong join Barcelona?
Frenkie de Jong was part of the Ajax team that pushed all the way in the 2018/2019 UCL campaign. Erik ten Hag’s men were dumped out in the second leg of the semi-final, but bigger teams cherry-picked Ajax’s best players in the summer. Barcelona already knew how De Jong once, so they reached an agreement with Ajax in January 2019 and let the Dutchman remain at the club until the end of the season.
The deal was worth €75 million, with a further €11 to be paid in bonuses, depending on De Jong’s performances at Barcelona. The Dutchman penned a 5-year deal with the club and has since made 190 appearances in total for Barcelona, scoring 16 goals and providing 21 assists.
Can Barcelona tie down Frenkie de Jong to a long-term deal? Tell us what you think in the comments section.
