Frenkie de Jong has launched a stinging attack on the Barcelona board for allegedly leaking his contract details over the summer.
De Jong's contract details emerged over the summer amid reports the player's contract was not valid and that the Catalan giants would force him to take a pay cut. The news came amid Manchester United making a breakthrough in their attempts to sign the midfielder although no move came to fruition.
United boss Erik ten Hag coached the midfielder in Amsterdam and held a phone call this summer to convince the player to join his project at Old Trafford. United had an initial transfer fee agreed with Barca valued at £56.2million. Reports claimed the player had already cleared out his locker in Spain, but he ultimately he remained at the Camp Nou.
De Jong subsequently criticised a "campaign with lots of lies" regarding his salary amid this summer's transfer saga linking him with an exit. He was widely reported to be the club's highest-earning player and additionally, was owed up to €17m in back payments through deferrals and amortisations.
It was portrayed in the Catalan sports media that De Jong was not willing to take a pay cut to help the club make further investments in players this summer. Barcelona were desperate to either sell the Dutch international or reduce his salary but were unsuccessful in either.
De Jong – who is now with the Netherlands ahead of the World Cup – has now written off suggestions that he is likely to exit the Camp Nou anytime soon. He joined Barca initially from Ajax in 2019 and believes his-long term future is in Catalonia.
Have Your Say! What do you make of De Jong's claims about Barcelona's board? Tell us what you think here.
Speaking to De Telegraaf, De Jong explained: "I am very happy in Barcelona. When I play it's great and in terms of living here life is perfect. I see myself in Barcelona for as long as possible. I personally hope for another eight or 10 years."
However, De Jong went on to launch an astonishing attack on Barca's board – accusing them of leaking the contract and attempting to pressurise him to reduce the terms of his contract, which he had agreed with the previous board.
"One day a paper published details from my contract," he added. "I didn't leak it and only one other party knew about this, so it had to be the club who did this. Suddenly there was a letter in which the question was asked whether my contract was still valid because the previous president made the contract.
"I found it very annoying that the club did this, but I had no further influence on things. I blame these people [those at Barca who wanted him out], but I have nothing to do with them. Yes, they are Barca for me because they lead the club. But I don't see them when I'm at the club. I have nothing to do with them in my daily life."
