Frenkie de Jong contract: Details emerge over fresh Barcelona talks

Barcelona are reported to be in talks with midfielder Frenkie de Jong as his contract saga inches closer to finally being resolved.

De Jong is currently under contract until the end of next season, but there has been a considerable amount of strife surrounding the situation.

Barcelona made a concerted effort to sell the Dutchman in 2022, even agreeing a transfer fee with Manchester United before it all fell through. His salary has been tough to manage during the club’s financial troubles, with wages deferred from previous seasons.

The Catalans have also been keen to avoid letting players enter the final year of any contracts, which threatens to makes it renewal or bust for De Jong over the next three months.

The 27-year-old, one of the squad’s captains, was reported in early March to have been offered a new deal already, without an agreement. It was earlier said De Jong is ready to complete an extension.

Now, The Athletic adds fuel to that with news talks with De Jong are in progress. He is said to be “very happy” and “very settled” with his family life in Barcelona, while it is an exciting time to be a senior player in a squad full of young and emerging talents.

According to SPORT, Barcelona want to restructure De Jong’s salary. So while his overall €19m annual wage wouldn’t change, the club would prefer a lower base rate, topped up by a higher proportion of performance-based bonuses. Barcelona are also seeking to remove the deferred payments agreed by former president Josep Maria Bartomeu’s regime.

There could also be a an €80m (£67m) release clause that is affordable for suitors in the future.