Barcelona is currently facing financial pressures, and a top priority for the club is securing a new contract for midfielder Frenkie De Jong, as reported by Sport.
De Jong, who is 26 years old and has a contract expiring in 2026, has been a vital component of manager Xavi Hernández’s team this season.
He has started in all five of Barcelona’s La Liga matches as well as in the Champions League.
To comply with financial fair play regulations, Barcelona is preparing to propose another reduction in De Jong’s salary.
This move is similar to the recent contract renegotiation with goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen.
As previously reported by ESPN, the 31-year-old goalkeeper agreed to a contract extension until 2028, which deferred a significant portion of his wages to create salary space for this season.
However, reaching an agreement with De Jong is proving to be a challenging task, primarily due to strained relations between the club, the player, and his representatives.
Despite having a new agent, there seems to be lingering resentment stemming from the pressure De Jong faced to join Manchester United last summer, a move that went against his desire to remain at Camp Nou.