Barcelona contract talks stall with two key stars
- Ronald Araujo and Frenkie de Jong are both out of contract in 2026
- Contract negotiations for Araujo are considered a priority by Barcelona
- De Jong's extension is complicated by his deferred wages
Contract negotiations for the Barcelona duo of Ronald Araujo and Frenkie de Jong have both stalled, according to a report in Spain.
The first-team players are both on deals which expire in 2026 and have been plagued by injuries in recent years. De Jong was sidelined for more than five months with an ankle issue, only returning to top-flight action in October, while Araujo is yet to feature this season. The Uruguay international picked up a severe hamstring injury during last summer's Copa America.
With around 18 months remaining on each player's deal, Barca are keen to accelerate contract negotiations. However, it's not so much a question of rejection as radio silence, according to the Spanish publication Marca. Both players were presented with new offers at the start of 2024, but neither party has provided a response.
The pair find themselves in very different positions of negotiating strength. Araujo is already considered one of the best centre-backs in the world and, at 25, could remain a force for years to come. De Jong endures a more tense relationship with the Catalan giants.
Barca are thought to be more focused on renewing Araujo's deal than that of De Jong. The club are reportedly willing to significantly increase the centre-back's salary with a five-year agreement on the table. De Jong, by contrast, would have to "adjust" his hefty wage packet if he were to stay in Catalonia.
Barca supposedly handed an ultimatum to De Jong earlier this year, demanding a resolution to his uncertain extension situation before the January transfer window. If no agreement can be reached then Barca would be forced to sell the 27-year-old. However, any discussions are complicated by the significant sum of wages which De Jong is owed after agreeing to defer his salary during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Araujo's representatives are expected to belatedly entertain negotiations before the end of the year while there appears to be no rush for De Jong's agents, despite the timeline set out by Barca.
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