"Flick considers that he's a toxic player and a bad example for the young ones.He has his teammates against him, is content with continuing getting paid and doesn't care about not playing."
Teammates are Also Fed up with Him
This is how El Nacional defines Frankie De Jong's situation at Barça. Everything is against him. It's no longer just the fans or the media who criticize him; his teammates also seem fed up with him.
Flick has him as a last resort in his rotations. Ahead are Casadó, Pedri, Gavi, Fermín.
For Flick, he's been the great disappointment of the blaugrana locker room. He doesn't doubt his quality, but his complacent attitude doesn't help him earn his coach's respect.
Joan Laporta is even more annoyed than Flick. He's tried—and keeps trying—to use him as a trade in some operation that brings new blood to Barça.
Laporta's Final Solution
However, neither the player cooperates (he has no intention of leaving Barça) nor do the clubs show interest. His high salary turns them all away.
The president has reached the limit of his patience and is already studying the final solution.Terminating his contract and paying him what's left. It's the only way the Dutch player would accept leaving the club.
It's a ruinous solution, but it wouldn't be the first time Barça acts this way with a player they don't want. They already did it with basketball player Nikola Mirotic.
Barça Did the Same with Mirotic
Laporta invited him to leave and he refused. Upon this, they terminated his contract and agreed to pay the 20 million he was owed from the contract signed by Barça.
Mirotic has been playing for two years while getting paid by his current club, Armani Milan, and Barça.
Frenkie De Jong, 27, has his contract with Barça ending in June 2026. He'll only leave if the club pays him in full what he's owed.
That's Laporta's idea. After five and a half years, Frenkie De Jong is financially amortized. He's still up for sale waiting for a solution, but no one bites.
The Mistake Will Cost Barça 40 Million
The club prefers to cut him, even if it means paying him the 23.5 million fixed plus two in variables stated in his contract. In other words, letting him go in the winter market would mean Barça paying him almost 40 million euros.
The joke will be costly for Barça, but everyone has concluded that it's the best way out. It was done with Mirotic and can be repeated with Frenkie De Jong.