FC Barcelona have been gradually working towards solving all of their pending contract issues. However, their financial situation has made it complicated to resolve most of them at once. Still, one step at a time, Barcelona has been eager to renew the players that they can on a timely basis.
Following Ronald Araujo’s recent renewal, one that will see him extend his stay at the club until 2031, Barcelona have other renewals to address as well. The likes of Lamine Yamal, Pedri, and Gavi all have contract talks lined up and some are much more advanced than others.
Even Barcelona captain Raphinha is a name that Barça wants to address soon and have his stay at the club extended as well. While dealing with most of the team captains was ultimately straightforward, with Araujo already having renewed and Pedri having reached a verbal agreement with the club, Frenkie de Jong’s case was unique.
Due to frozen talks and no feedback on the offer sent by the club initially, renewal talks have been tough when it comes to the Dutchman. Reports even suggested that the 27-year-old Barcelona midfielder could end up running down his contract and leaving for free in 2026.
Now, however, the latest report on the matter has provided a positive update. According to Mundo Deportivo, De Jong’s stance has softened and changed when it comes to staying at Barcelona. Instead, he is now open to staying at the club by renewing his contract.
Moreover, he has reportedly even informed the rest of the players in the locker room about his decision. For some key figures within Barcelona, this is positive news, and namely Hansi Flick, Joan Laporta, and Deco would be pleased with such a development.
At the same time, however, they are cautious. They would need De Jong to be actually open to negotiating his stay and his new salary would need to be line with the club’s current financial situation. For now, it is a contract that is significantly lucrative, mainly because of deferments, and something that Barça is struggling to keep up with.
As for De Jong, it seems that he is finally finding a place for himself within Barcelona. Already appreciated by Hansi Flick and now being more involved as well, the player has left his ankle-related woes behind him it seems. After a tough 2024, this is exactly the kind of resurgence he needed to motivate him to stay as well.