Barcelona meet with Frenkie de Jong's agent after contract rant - report
- De Jong slammed reports of an exit from Barcelona in a furious press conference
- Dutch midfielder stressed his desire to stay at the club this summer
- Reports have claimed Barcelona could try to sell De Jong to raise money
By Tom Gott
Barcelona officials recently met with the agent of Frenkie de Jong to clear the air after the Dutchman's rant about reports on his future at the club, a report has claimed.
De Jong, who is among Barcelona's highest earners, has been the subject of numerous media reports which have suggested the club could look to move him on this summer to raise money, while others have claimed De Jong is unsettled and wants to leave.
Earlier this week, however, De Jong sat down in front of the press and admitted he was "pissed off" with all the reports, insisting everything being written was a lie and he wants to stay with Barcelona for years to come.
According to SPORT, Barcelona sporting director Deco recently met with De Jong's agent, Ali Dursun, to try put an end to all the speculation.
Deco moved to ensure that De Jong's camp did not believe any of the rumours were being pushed by the club, and the meeting is understood to have ended positively.
Meetings between Deco and Dursun are hardly a rare occurrence, with De Jong's contract regularly a topic of conversation between the pair.
De Jong's current deal expires in 2026 and Barcelona are keen to tie him down to an extension, but they want the Dutchman to agree to a reduced salary as part of their ongoing attempts to drive down their wage bill.
Just how the 26-year-old feels about lowering his wage is unclear but De Jong has made no secret of his desire to remain with Barcelona, insisting he wants to stick with the club "for many years".
Several Premier League clubs have been touted as suitors for De Jong, including long-term admirers Manchester United and Chelsea.
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