Desperate Barca hold salary cut meetings as De Jong digs in
FT Desk
- 4 Aug 2022 07:00 BST
- 3 min read
Barcelona are scrambling to find alternatives to their salary woes amid the continued refusal of Frenkie de Jong to accept a transfer away from the club.
De Jong has been linked throughout the summer with an exit, with Manchester United and most recently Chelsea touted as the top candidates to sign the Netherlands international.
So far, however, the midfielder has been steadfast in his reluctance to move, as he is reportedly settled and happy in Catalunya and not willing to uproot his life again just three years after arriving at Camp Nou from Ajax.
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That leaves Barca in a quandary, as they must reduce their salary burden in order to continue to renew their squad, both by registering their agreed signings and landing further targets like Manchester City's Bernardo Silva.
And the Mirror reports that De Jong's intransigence has led them to look elsewhere in their cost-cutting efforts.
Busquets and Pique to pay the price?
According to the newspaper, club elder statesmen Gerard Pique and Sergio Busquets have both been contacted in order to convince them to take further salary reductions.
The pair were seen meeting separately with Barca representatives on Wednesday and accompanied by their respective agents, although the reason for the consecutive summits has not been disclosed by either party.
Those cuts are seen as necessary in order to complete the registration of Andreas Christensen, Franck Kessie, Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski and Jules Kounde, who risk missing the start of the season unless the Blaugrana can put their affairs in order.
Ousmane Dembele too must be re-registered as a Barcelona player, having let his contract lapse at the start of the summer before signing an extension.
De Jong's future, meanwhile, remains uncertain, with Barca imposing a deadline that expires on La Liga's opening day on August 13 for either Chelsea, United or any other club to complete a transfer for the Dutchman.
