With the winter transfer window over, FC Barcelona will now have to turn their attentions not only to salvaging the current season, but also towards planning for the next one.
In this regard, the Catalans have their work cut out for them. Deco and his staff will have to find a replacement for Xavi and also make the required additions to the squad, i.e., a pivot and a winger.
In addition to these operations, Barcelona will also be looking to renew the contracts of some of their players, with the cases of Araujo and De Jong requiring the highest degree of urgency.
According to a report from SPORT, Barcelona have already presented an offer for the contract extension of Frenkie de Jong, who already has a contract till 2026.
The new contract will see his association with the Catalan club go till 2029, but the wages offered to him are lower than what he is currently earning with Barcelona, although he also has yet to receive some deferred wages from the club.
Meanwhile, as opposed to previous years, De Jong is not too averse to the idea of joining another club and is willing to listen to offers.
If De Jong accepts this renewal, Barcelona will be able to keep one of the most important pieces of their squad for several more years, while also reducing their wage bill burden significantly. These reductions are essential for Barcelona to get rid of the Financial Fair Play limitations imposed on them by La Liga.
For now, it remains to be seen how the negotiations will advance. Barcelona have made their offer, and are not willing to improve on the proposed terms. De Jong wants to continue as a Barcelona player, but if an interesting offer arrives for him, he will definitely consider it.
