Barcelona Midfielder De Jong Speaks Up on Contract Extension and Outlines Terms for Departure
FC Barcelona's star player Frenkie de Jong discussed the buzzing subject of his possible contract extension during a chat with Voetbal International.
The Dutch international joined Barca from Ajax in 2019, signing a five-year contract.
During the pandemic, however, the terms of his deal were extended. Then-president Josep Bartomeu postponed his pay and set a new end date of June 30, 2026.
This date is fast approaching, as we're now in 2025. Barca has been eager to renew with De Jong, but he hasn't agreed to it yet.
There have been rumors from SPORT that Barca believes De Jong is intentionally letting his contract run out to leave without paying a transfer fee, while Relevo reported that Barca has warned De Jong and Ronald Araujo to commit before June 30, 2025, or be put up for sale.
In an interview with Voetbal International, De Jong was asked about the topic and replied that it's a topic for Spanish newspapers, but not for him.
"I just want to play football. Then, I'll see what Barca wants to do with me, and I'll decide what I want to do, along with my agent and my family," De Jong said.
"People think I want to stay at Barcelona forever because life outside of football is good here, and it is, but it's less important than what happens on the pitch. If I feel I can't contribute enough, or if the team can't compete, I'd leave," he added.
With over half of his contract in Barcelona, De Jong admitted that he thought his haul of trophies in Catalonia would be bigger by now.
"I have to admit that when I signed for Barcelona, I didn't imagine I'd win only one league, a Copa del Rey, and a Spanish Super Cup after four years. I expected at least twice as much, so that disappoints me. Life has its twists and turns, and you can't always predict them," he remarked.
Though he's back in action, De Jong said that the period following an ankle injury he suffered against Real Madrid in April, which kept him out until October, was the most challenging of his career so far.
"At first, I was focused on my ankle 24/7. As soon as I woke up, I could feel it. Now, I hardly notice it anymore, but I have to keep giving it extra care to prevent any issues," De Jong explained.
"For someone who loves football as much as I do, it felt like an eternity ... It was the hardest period of my career. I was also injured while at Ajax, in 2018, but this injury was worse," De Jong concluded.
In a potential shift of his footballing future, De Jong mentioned that he will consider Barca's intentions and his own desires, along with his agent and family, once the current terms of his contract end. During the Champions League and El Clasico discussions, Frenkie de Jong reflected on the challenges he faced following his ankle injury in a match against Real Madrid.
Despite the ongoing contract negotiations, De Jong has expressed his desire to contribute positively to the team, but also acknowledged that if he feels his abilities aren't being utilized or if the team's performance fails to meet expectations, he might consider leaving Barcelona, just as he did when he transitioned from Ajax to FC Barcelona in 2019.
