Frenkie de Jong’s prominence at Barcelona has dropped significantly in the last six months. He was previously an undisputed starter, but the emerge of Marc Casado (and Marc Bernal) means that his place in the starting line-up will not be assured even when he returns to 100% match sharpness in the coming weeks.
Over the last couple of years, de Jong’s future has also been the subject of speculation. He has yet to respond to Barcelona’s offer of a new contract, and as time passes, it becomes more and more likely that he ends up leaving.
Barcelona will not sit back if de Jong doesn’t agree a new deal, as they are aware that his value will be significantly lower next summer because his existing contract expires in 2026. As such, Relevo have reported that the club’s stance is that the Dutch midfielder will be made available for transfer “sooner rather than later” if he doesn’t sign on.
It does seem like a good time for de Jong’s time at Barcelona to come to its end, especially if they can garner a significant fee next summer. However, the player’s will could also play a factor – until now, he has shown no desire to leave, despite not responding to the contract offer on the table.