Several Spanish media now write that Frenkie de Jong is becoming increasingly “transferable”. The Dutchman has experienced a real nightmare over the past year or so. Despite overcoming his persistent injury problems earlier this season, De Jong continues to face intense criticism. – Barcelona has not improved since he came back, on the contrary!.
Most recently in Saturday’s 1 – 2 loss at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, Frenkie de Jong was an unused reserve.
Believed to be La Liga’s highest-paid player, the midfielder has done little to suggest that his lucrative salary is justified. De Jong has been slow when he has been on the pitch, and his defensive work – or lack of it – has created a bad mood among Barcelona fans in recent weeks.
The 27-year-old is out of contract in 2026, and club president Joan Laporta has announced that Barcelona will not have any players with just one year left on their deal heading into next season.
While for most players this is basically a promise of a new deal, for De Jong it is more of a threat that he could be sold in 2025. According to Relevo, Barcelona have serious doubts about giving De Jong new terms despite talks of an extension in recent months. The Dutchman is simply no longer good enough to compete with the rest of the club’s midfielders.
The case of De Jong has become a “serious problem” for the club. The midfielder had to make a “radical” upturn in form to bring the Blaugrana back to the negotiating table.
De Jong is a far cry from the Ajax superstar who convinced Barcelona to pay a fortune, and there are some at the club who believe that “De Jong costs Barca more when he plays than when he is in the stands.”
The Dutchman has become “very, very transferable” and Barcelona would ideally like to relieve him sooner rather than later. But who could sign him in 2025?
Erik ten Hag, who was so desperate to sign him in recent years, is no longer at Man Utd. It begs the question, who would even be prepared to sign the underperforming, extremely expensive midfielder?
