Joan Laporta has had enough and has made the final decision with Frenkie de Jong. For months, the Dutchman had a proposal to renew his contract with FC Barcelona, but this has changed. Indeed, he had, in past tense. The Barça president has decided that the offer has expired and is no longer valid, as revealed by Mundo Deportivo.
Barça has already made him a renewal offer at the end of 2023, putting a new contract on the table. The term would've been extended until 2029, three years more than what he currently has signed. In addition, there was no salary reduction, earning the same average as at present. Right now, his salary is higher than what was signed due to the agreed deferrals.
At the moment, Joan Laporta wants to take some time with Frenkie de Jong. The proposal is no longer valid and is considered to be out of the question. His contract ends in 2026 and the idea now is to wait and see if his performance improves. There's no clear scenario at the moment and anything can happen: from a renewal, to a sale, even passing through a free exit by the time his current contract ends.
Joan Laporta Gives De Jong an Ultimatum
He's been pushing the limits for many months and now it could come back to bite him. Since the beginning of 2024, Laporta has been hoping to get a reply from De Jong regarding the renewal of his contract, but he's always put it off. This proposal is no longer valid and now it is Barça that is in no hurry: If he wants to leave, let him leave.
Joan Laporta's plan is clear with De Jong: He'll wait until the end of the season. If his performance doesn't improve, he will leave. At Barça, it is clear that he is no longer an untouchable player. Right now, the most likely scenario is that they will offer him to leave for a destination of his choice at a cheap price. It's better than losing him for free, they believe.
In any case, there's still a long way to go and the decision hasn't yet been made. If he is no longer untouchable for Joan Laporta, he is also no longer so for Flick. De Jong is already behind many of his teammates and his role could begin to be merely as a witness despite his status as second captain. The situation is not easy and stretching the rope could now take its toll on the Dutchman.