Barcelona want to retain captain, renewal offered three months ago

SEVILLE, SPAIN - JANUARY 21: Frenkie de Jong of FC Barcelona looks on during the LaLiga EA Sports match between Real Betis and FC Barcelona at Estadio Benito Villamarin on January 21, 2024 in Seville, Spain.

Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images

FC Barcelona know that they have to revamp their team properly in order to be competitive again. Many positions in the team require new reinforcements, and the club is working on it. However, it is not just arrivals that would make Barcelona click again.

Even some players within the current team have to either be identified as untouchables or players worth parting ways with. For this reason, those players have to be given adequate contractual proposals to guarantee their continuity with FC Barcelona. However, it is not always that easy.

In light of the reports coming out that suggest Dutch midfielder Frenkie De Jong could end up leaving in the summer, there has been a new revelation made by Mundo Deportivo. Instead of just allowing him to leave without any insistence, Barcelona already made their move three months ago.

Barcelona, as per MD, already offered De Jong a contract extension proposal close to three months ago. On an economic front, the Catalan club did not make many changes and De Jong remains one of the team’s highest-earning athletes as per his salary and the deferred payments.

This offer was made through Deco reportedly, and it was presented with the ability to extend for three more years beyond his current 2026 expiry. However, Barcelona are expecting De Jong to be honest with them and to provide a clear answer sooner rather than later.

This, in turn, would give Barcelona more time to figure out what to do in the scenario of his departure. Ideally, they would want the player to stay, but even if he chooses to leave, Barcelona want to be informed timely and they also want the player to be able to bring up an adequate offer for his services.

Moreover, if the scenario to sell him pops up, Barça want to ensure that it happens in the summer. This would allow them to bring in an adequate transfer fee and also enough funds to actually get a benefit from. It now seems that even the De Jong saga will be a massive one in the summer.