Report: Barcelona hand Frenkie de Jong contract ultimatum as Man Utd & Chelsea register interest

Barcelona have warned midfielder Frenkie de Jong that he must agree the terms of a new contract before the January transfer window if he wants to stay at the club, a report has claimed.

De Jong's future at Barcelona has long been the subject of intense speculation and the uncertainty has ramped up after the Dutchman entered the final two years of his contract, which is set to expire in 2026.

According to SPORT, there is a willingness from everyone involved to sort out an extension, but the terms of any new agreement have so far proven complicated.

De Jong is owed a significant sum in wages he agreed to defer during the COVID-19 pandemic, before accepting a further delay to help the club balance their difficult financial situation. Barcelona have tried to come to an agreement over those wages in recent contract negotiations, but progress is said to have stalled.

Barcelona are growing increasingly concerned by the prospect of losing De Jong on a free transfer, not least because Chelsea, Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain have all registered their interest in his services.

Adamant that De Jong will not be allowed to follow Ousmane Dembele in leaving on a free, Barcelona are said to have warned the 27-year-old that he has three months to agree the terms of an extension before the club begin to plan for life without him.

De Jong has repeatedly refused to leave Barcelona and has publicly admitted his frustration towards what he believes are attempts to force him out of the club from those in charge. He remains well-respected as a player but the finances of his current contract, which he signed in October 2020 under former president Josep Maria Bartomeu, are believed to be an issue.

For his part, De Jong is relaxed about his future and believes there is time for everything to play out naturally, but Barcelona appear to be growing increasingly agitated as they await a conclusion to one of the longest-running transfer sagas in recent memory.

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