Contract negotiations for the Barcelona duo of Ronald Araujo and Frenkie de Jong have stalled, according to a report in Spain.
First team players have deals that expire in 2026 and have been affected injuries in recent years. De Jong was out for more than five months with an ankle problem, only returning to top-flight action in October, while Araujo is yet to feature this season. The Uruguayan international picked up a severe hamstring injury during last summer’s Copa America.
With around 18 months left for each player, Barça is ready to speed up contract negotiations. However, it is not so much rejection as radio silence, according to the Spanish publication Marc. Both players received new offers at the start of 2024, but neither side has responded.
The pair are in very different positions of bargaining power. Araujo is already considered one of the best power stations in the world and, at 25, could remain a force for years to come. De Jong endures a more tense relationship with the Catalan giants.
It is believed that Barça is more focused on renewing Araujo’s agreement than on renewing the contract De Jong. The club are willing to significantly increase the centre-back’s salary with a five-year deal on the table. De Jong, on the other hand, would have to “adjust” his hefty salary package if he were to stay in Catalonia.
Barça supposedly delivered an ultimatum to De Jong earlier this year, demanding a solution to their uncertain extension situation before the January transfer window. If no agreement can be reached, then Barça would be forced to sell the 27-year-old. However, any discussion is complicated by the significant sum of wages owed to De Jong after he agreed to defer his salary during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Araujo’s representatives are expected to hold negotiations late before the end of the year, while there appears to be no rush for De Jong’s agents, despite the timetable set by Barca.
