Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong has said he expected to win “at least twice” as many trophies as he has since joining the club six seasons ago. He also discussed his contract situation, saying he would be open to leaving if the club could not compete for trophies regularly.
Barcelona paid a handsome €86 million (£71.3 million) fee to sign De Jong from Eredivisie outfit Ajax in the summer of 2019, tying him down to a five-year deal. In October 2020, Barca extended his contract until 30th June 2026, with then-president Josep Bartomeu deferring his pay.
According to Diario SPORT, Barcelona have been trying hard to extend De Jong’s contract but have not had a breakthrough. The outlet suspects De Jong is intentionally rejecting approaches to leave as a free agent. Premier League giants Manchester United are reportedly interested in securing his services.
Frenkie de Jong Says Barcelona Contract Extension Is Not an Issue for Him
Speaking with Dutch outlet Voetbal International, De Jong addressed the rumours surrounding his future at Barcelona.
He said (via Fabrizio Romano):
“My contract renewal is an issue for the papers here, but for me, it’s not.
“I want to play football and after that, I will see what the club wants to do with me, and then I will decide what I want to do next, together with my agent and family.”
De Jong then opened up about the journey so far at Barcelona, saying he expected to win more in six years.
“To be honest, when I signed for Barça I didn’t imagine to win 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 a La Liga, Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup after 4 years.
“I expected at least double, so that disappoints me… But things happen on the road you can not predict.”
He also hinted that he would leave Barca if they fell off.
“People think I want to stay at Barça forever because life outside football is so good here, and it IS good for sure, but less important to what happens on the pitch.
“If I’d feel that I can’t contribute enough, or the team can’t compete, I’d be gone from this football club.”
De Jong has played 226 games for Barca since joining from Ajax. He has scored 18 goals and provided 22 assists.
