Barcelona's treatment of Frenkie de Jong has received yet more criticism, this time from the Dutch player's union.
The midfielder's future at the Nou Camp has been a hot topic throughout the window with the Catalans open to selling the player. Manchester United are chasing him and have reached an agreement with Barcelona, but the player's lack of willingness to join has halted any deal.
Barcelona now want to cut De Jong's wages if he is to stay put, something he would have to agree on. They also owe the player millions in deferred wages after he agreed to take a pay cut during the height of the pandemic to help the club financially.
Evgeniy Levchenko, chairman of the Dutch players' union VVCS, has spoken out, taking aim at the way they've handled De Jong. He told ANP: "I think a union should protect all players. Now a player is cornered by a club and chased away. Then it is up to an international union (FIFPro, ed.) to stand up." He then added: "FC Barcelona will then invoke sporting grounds, but it is disastrous for the career of a young player. That makes it a kind of extortion."
Despite calling on De Jong to take a wage cut the Spanish giants have continued to spend big money this summer. They recently added Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski having also claimed Andreas Christensen and Franck Kessie on free transfers.
Gary Neville has slammed the club's activity given they owe De Jong fortunes. He tweeted: “De Jong should consider legal action v Barcelona and all players should be behind him! A club spending fortunes on new players whilst not paying the ones they have under contract their full money is immoral and a breach. @FIFPRO should be all over bullying like this and stop it.”
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Barcelona president Joan Laporta has stated that they have no desire to sell De Jong despite the interest in him. He said: "Frenkie de Jong is a Barcelona player. We don't want to sell him unless we have no other choice. Of course, we know there are offers for De Jong, but we don't want to sell him. There are clubs that want him, not just United. We have no intention of selling him, he wants to stay.
"Frenkie is considered as one of the best midfielders in the world by all the experts. We are happy to have him. I'm going to do everything I can in my power so that Frenkie stays here, but there's also a salary issue, and that would have to be adjusted."
