Frenkie de Jong talks Barcelona contract situation, injuries, Messi – ‘Will decide with my agent and family’ | OneFootball

Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong has opened up about his future with the club, revealing that he is not overly concerned about contract negotiations.

Instead, he remains focused on his football and is taking things one step at a time. The Dutch international emphasized that decisions about his renewal will be made alongside his agent and family, with no rush to decide yet.

Recent reports suggest that Barcelona have reinitiated talks with de Jong regarding a new contract. This comes as somewhat of a surprise given that the player’s current deal runs until 2026.

Barcelona’s attempts to secure his services for the long term have not been secret, but now, it seems the club is keen to settle things soon.

Despite the speculation around his contract, de Jong has made it clear that he is more concerned with his on-pitch performance and the team’s success rather than the business side of football.

“My contract renewal is an issue for the papers here, but for me, it’s not,” he told Voetbal International.

“I want to play football and after that, I will see what the club wants to do with me, and then I will decide what I want to do, together with my agent and family,” he added.

Disappointed at his tenure

Frenkie de Jong expected to win more titles at Barcelona. (Photo by Rafa Babot/Getty Images)

Reflecting on his time at Barcelona, de Jong admitted that he had expected more in terms of silverware when he first signed for the club.

After four years, he has won La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Spanish Super Cup, but he had hoped for at least double that number of titles.

This feeling of unfulfilled expectations has been a source of disappointment, but he acknowledges that football can be unpredictable, and sometimes things don’t unfold as planned.

“I have to admit that when I signed for Barcelona, I didn’t imagine winning only a La Liga, Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup after 4 years. I expected at least double, so that disappoints me. Things happen on the road you can’t predict.”

De Jong also addressed speculation about his future, noting that while he enjoys life in Barcelona and appreciates the quality of life outside football, his priority will always be his contribution to the team on the field.

“People think I want to stay at Barcelona forever because life outside football is so good here, and it is good, but it is still less important to what happens on the pitch.

“If I would feel that I can’t contribute enough, or if the team can’t compete, I would be gone,” he added.

Speaking on injuries

Frenkie de Jong also shared his thoughts on his injuries. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

The midfielder also spoke about the challenges he has faced with injury in 2024, particularly with his ankle.

At the start of his recovery, he was obsessed with monitoring any changes or reactions in his ankle, but over time, it has become easier to manage.

“In the beginning phase of my ankle injury, I was busy with my ankle day and night. As soon as I woke up, I would immediately feel it.

“’Has it gotten bigger? Is there a reaction?’ Now I’ve almost forgotten that,” he noted.

Nonetheless, he continues to pay extra attention to his ankle, as some players deal with knee issues, while his ankle requires ongoing care.

“However, the ankle has always become something I have to take into account. By that I mean I will have to continue to give it extra attention. Some players have that with their knee, I have that with my ankle.

“This year [2024] was the most difficult period in my life. For someone who loves football as much as I do, all these months felt like an eternity.”

Playing with Lionel Messi

Frenkie de Jong has nothing but praise for Lionel Messi. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

Lastly, de Jong shared his admiration for Lionel Messi, describing the legendary player as head and shoulders above everyone else. He recalled how, no matter what the team did in training, Messi was always the best.

“I’ve never seen such a big difference between one player and the rest. Whatever we did in training, Messi was the best, always.”

His ability to find solutions on the pitch that even coaches couldn’t anticipate was something de Jong found remarkable and a testament to Messi’s unique talent.

“He sees solutions on the field that you as a coach cannot think of in advance,” he added.