Barcelona 'to prioritise Frenkie de Jong contract situation'

Barcelona are reportedly set to prioritise talks with Frenkie de Jong over a new contract.

The Dutchman was involved in a lengthy transfer saga in the summer of 2022 after being heavily linked with a move to Manchester United.

Due to the midfielder's considerable salary, the Catalan giants were willing to sanction his departure in a bid to improve their financial situation.

While Barcelona were keen to offload the player's wages, De Jong was reluctant to complete a switch to Old Trafford.

De Jong has since made himself an integral member of Xavi's squad, appearing in 43 games across all competitions during the 2022-23 campaign.

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After helping the club win their first league title since 2019, De Jong has continued to be a prominent figure in the Barcelona side during the opening weeks of the new season.

The 26-year-old has started all six of Barcelona's competitive matches this term, including Tuesday's 5-0 victory over Royal Antwerp in the Champions League.

With De Jong one of the first names on the team sheet, a Barcelona departure is now unlikely, especially with his contract set to run until June 2026.

However, according to Sport, the La Liga champions want to hold discussions over a new contract with a view to ease the financial pressure on the club.

Barcelona are set to offer a deal similar to the one recently signed by Marc-Andre ter Stegen, with the goalkeeper reportedly agreeing to defer part of his wages to help free up salary space.

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The report suggests that agreeing a new deal will be far from easy due to the strained relations between De Jong and the club's hierarchy.

De Jong was left frustrated after he felt he was being pressured to join Man United last summer, despite his reluctance to complete a move to the Premier League.

Barcelona's current sporting director Deco was not working at the club at the time, and there is hope that he could help facilitate negotiations.

The Netherlands international recently stated that his agent is taking care of any discussions over a new Barcelona contract.

De Jong is expected to retain his place in the starting lineup for Saturday's home league meeting with struggling Celta Vigo.