Deco confirms Barcelona captain’s renewal agreement is close – ‘He wants to stay here’ | OneFootball

Barcelona sporting director Deco, in an exclusive chat with Mundo Deportivo, has revealed that a contract renewal for midfielder and one of the club captains, Frenkie de Jong, is close to being agreed.

De Jong’s current contract with Barcelona expires in 2026, but the club have been working on an extension for a while now.

Things appeared to be going nowhere for some time, especially during the last season, with the player’s former agent, Ali Dursun, posing a hurdle in negotiations.

The situation has flown much more smoothly since the Dutchman hired new representation a few months ago.

There has never been any doubt from De Jong’s end about wanting to continue at Barcelona. That resolve has only strengthened after he became an integral part of the team under Hansi Flick over the past year or so.

Deco confirms renewal imminent

De Jong will soon renew his contract. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

Now, Deco has confirmed that the renewal agreement with the Netherlands international is just around the corner.

“We are talking. Frenkie is really enjoying being here. He has matured on all levels, with his family, in the team…,” stated the Barcelona director.

Continuing, he added: “If you are a player with character, you don’t just want to stay because you are in Barcelona, but because you want to compete for titles, and he sees that he can compete for titles. He sees this and wants to stay here.

“At the club, we see him as a key player for the current project and the coming years, so I think we’ll get him to continue.”

When asked pointedly if he sees the renewal happening soon, Deco replied affirmatively, saying: “Yes, I do.”

De Jong’s new contract is expected to run until 2029, meaning a three-year extension for the midfielder, with a salary lower compared to the currently inflated one he earns due to past payment deferrals.