While Barça progresses through a season that still has many highlights in store, Deco rolls up his sleeves in the office with many issues to address. There is a lot of work to be done in Barcelona, mainly surrounding the contract extensions of several players who are performing at an outstanding level, as well as planning several departures and, at the very least, a couple of necessary signings.
As we said, Barça still has a lot to do on the pitch. On the one hand, the Catalan side is immersed in the fight for LaLiga with Real Madrid. The team from Barcelona is four points ahead of the Whites, with whom it will face a direct duel next week that will be key to sealing the championship against its eternal rival, which has just won the Copa del Rey final.
Hansi Flick’s team is also still alive in the Champions League, where next Tuesday, at 9 p.m., they will face a do-or-die match in which only a win will be enough to secure a place in the final after last Wednesday’s crazy game at Montjuic, which ended in a 3-3 draw, clearly demonstrating the Barça players’ ability to react.
This good form on the pitch is largely due to the work of Hansi Flick, who has managed to restore the identity of the Barça team and get the best out of players who were on the verge of leaving, such as Raphinha, Eric and Frenkie de Jong.
A renewal that is not coming
De Jong’s future at Barça has been in the news for months. The situation has been changing until now, when renewal seems to be the chosen option. The Dutchman seems to have decided that he wants to stay at the club, but the renewal has not been signed and temptation is knocking at the door.
Both he and those around him have already rejected the possibility of leaving this summer for Saudi Arabia, ruling out interest from Al Ittihad, who were willing to put a lot of money on the table. Now, everything is focused on negotiations to extend his contract. His high salary and the club’s need to free up wages complicate the renewal negotiations, especially if it involves a pay cut. Barça is only considering two options: renewing his contract at a lower salary or selling him this summer.
It is only a matter of time before an agreement favorable to both parties is reached. Flick has also asked the club to make an effort to reach an agreement with the Dutchman, whose contract expires in 2026. The player is untouchable for the German coach for obvious reasons.
The player, together with Pedri, forms the perfect duo to control the ball. However, in some matches, such as against Celta and Inter, in which Barça conceded three goals, his role as a pivot was questioned, with some pointing out that he sometimes falters in defense.
The Premier League wants De Jong
Frenkie De Jong, beyond specific matches, is offering outstanding performances that make Laporta want to renew his contract, but at the same time, he is attracting a lot of interest in the market. Specifically, the Dutchman has the most suitors in the Premier League.
Liverpool and Arsenal are the most interested in the midfielder. Several sources suggest that Arne Slot’s side would be willing to offer up to €35 million. As we said, Barça is not considering selling him, but if they did, they would not accept anything less than €50-70 million to let him go.