Barcelona Football Star's Representative Reaches Out to Saudi Arabia, According to AS
Barcelona Football Star's Representative Reaches Out to Saudi Arabia, According to AS
A representative from Frenkie de Jong's camp has reached out to Saudi Arabian clubs in the Pro League, allegedly exploring potential transfer opportunities, as reported by AS, citing anonymous sources.
De Jong's contract negotiations for an extension have apparently stalled, with his current deal set to expire on June 30, 2026.
De Jong, who previously transferred to Barcelona for €75 million from Ajax in 2019, reportedly agreed to defer part of his salary and extend his contract during financial hardships faced by the Catalan club due to the pandemic.
Following an injury that kept him out of action from April to October 1, De Jong found himself down the pecking order in Barcelona's midfield, making way for the arrival of Marc Casado, and losing his regular partner in midfield with Pedri.
Under the management of Hansi Flick, a Spanish midfield trio consisting of De Jong's former position partner, Dani Olmo, has become predominant.
According to Relevo, both De Jong and defender Ronaldo Araujo, who share the same contract expiration date of June 30, 2026, have been warned that they may be put up for sale if they do not renew their contracts by 2025.
In the interim, De Jong's agent, Ali Dursun, is reported to have engaged in conversations with Saudi clubs to gauge the progress of the Saudi Pro League.
AS discloses that at this point, the discussions have only centred around the basics of a potential move, such as the customs and daily life in the country, suggesting that De Jong might be contemplating a future beyond Camp Nou.
While a move to the Pro League would presumably be financially beneficial for De Jong, given his age and career stature, it may potentially impact his long-term prospects with the Dutch national team.
Though Dutch manager Ronald Koeman has shown disappointment towards ex-Ajax and Tottenham winger Steven Bergwijn for his move to the Middle East, it remains to be seen how he would perceive De Jong's potential transfer.
- Marca reports that Deco, a former Barcelona player and current advisor to De Jong, has expressed his support for a potential move to Real Madrid for the midfielder.
- Gavi, the highly-regarded young midfielder from La Masia, has been identified as a potential replacement for De Jong if he were to leave Barcelona.
- Hansi Flick, the manager of the German national team, has praised Pedri and Araujo for their performances, hinting that he might be interested in bringing them to Bayern Munich if they become available.
- Marc Casado, the Spanish midfielder who recently joined Barcelona, expressed his admiration for De Jong and mentioned that he would be keen to learn from him if the Dutch midfielder were to stay at the club.