Frenkie De Jong, Erik Ten Hag's former player at Ajax, has shown interest in reuniting with his old coach at Manchester United. Despite the management at Nou Camp being eager to sell, negotiations have stalled.
The Red Devils and Barcelona had already agreed to a transfer to Old Trafford, but De Jong has not yet been persuaded to leave the Spanish club this summer. According to Spanish media, the Red Devils have promised to pay the €20 million in back wages he is due by the Catalans.
A major stumbling block has been the Blaugrana's need to pay the Dutchman's delayed payments, and the Catalans are prepared to increase their demands if they want to keep the former Ajax player. In fact, Xavi is said to have informed the player that he must accept a 50 percent wage reduction if he wants to continue playing in La Liga.
What if Frenkie De Jong doesn't accept wage cut at Barcelona?
After many key players took wage cuts and top players like Philippe Coutinho (who was making an alleged €22 million annually) departed the club, De Jong is now the highest-paid player on the Barca roster. According to reports, he pulls in around €21m annually in salary.
The four-year term of the deal between Barca and the Dutch star, which runs through 2026, amounts to a request that the player turns down €42 million in salary throughout that time, as per the Spanish newspaper AS. A wage cut to about €10.5m would put him in the center of the club's compensation scale, below the top earners but above the worst earners.
"What happens if Frenkie de Jong doesn't take a pay cut and just stays at Barca? Then he will continue, he's under contract. We will respect that decision. We count on him. There is no extortion being used on De Jong or anyone else", the Blaugrana president Joan Laporta has told CBS Sports.
The 25-year-old is still an integral part of the Spaniards' team, according to Xavi and Joan Laporta. However, they both acknowledge the club's challenging financial circumstances, suggesting that the midfielder should forego some of his compensation. Selling him is essential if the Catalan giants are serious about pursuing Bernardo Silva in the next days or weeks.
