Frenkie de Jong’s future at Barcelona is hanging in the balance – and Liverpool are closely monitoring the situation ahead of a potential summer move.
The Dutch midfielder could be on the move, but he would have to take a pay cut. The 27-year-old is currently under contract at the Camp Nou until 2026, but his hefty salary has become a burden for Barcelona.
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The club is eager to cash in while they can, viewing his departure as a way to ease their financial strain.
Despite this, De Jong remains determined to see out his contract in full, knowing that none of his suitors are willing to match his current salary of around €19 million per year. It’s believed that Barcelona already pushing for a sale to free up funds and lower their wage bill.
A report from TeamTalk states that Barcelona are open to offers in the region of €35 million for De Jong, which is an amount Liverpool see as fair value. However, it’s thought that the real challenge lies in convincing the midfielder to accept a significantly lower wage package, which he would have to accept at Anfield.
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But there is a spanner in the works, as in recent weeks, Juventus have also entered the conversation, the site reports. With Douglas Luiz struggling to impress, the Italian giants have made inquiries about De Jong’s availability. While the transfer fee itself wouldn’t be an issue for Juve, they, too, are unwilling to pursue a deal unless De Jong is open to lowering his wage demands.
De Jong arrived at Barcelona from Ajax in January 2019 for around £60m and has since racked up 237 appearances. He has been a crucial player at times but has struggled for consistent minutes under Hansi Flick, missing the first eight La Liga games this season due to an ankle injury.
