Shock as Frenkie de Jong prepared to take PAY CUT to ensure he doesn't get sold by Barcelona after resurgence under Hansi Flick

According to a report from Catalunya Radio, Barcelona midfielder De Jong has told the club that he's prepared to accept a pay cut and sign an extension on lower wages. The Dutchman will enter the final year of his contract in the summer and the Catalans are desperate to tie him down by offering a renewal.

After injuring his ankle in April 2024, it took De Jong around six months to fully recover. At the time, numerous reports revealed that his time in Catalonia was going to come to an unfortunate end. However, head coach Hansi Flick showed faith in the Netherlands international, providing him ample opportunities off the bench to regain his rhythm. He then started featuring in the starting XI more regularly, displacing Marc Casado from the team and has formed an efficient midfield partnership with Pedri, making his renewal important to the Catalan giants.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta recently commented on the future of the 28-year-old. "Frenkie is urgent because he has one year left on his contract, and we don’t want players in that situation. De Jong defines our style," he told TV3 (h/t Barca Blaugranes).

"There have been professional circumstances for two months now, because De Jong wants to stay. We’ve talked about it and agreed on it. We want him to stay, and he must be key to this project."

Back in April, De Jong refused to commit his future to the club, stating that he was "not focused" on whether he'll stay or leave.

De Jong is among the highest-paid players in La Liga and is reportedly the second-highest earner at Barcelona. Indeed, the former Ajax midfielder earns a reported gross annual salary of €19 million, second only to Robert Lewandowski's €33m yearly package.

While it remains to be seen what happens next, it is likely that De Jong will sign a new deal at Barcelona, especially considering how important he turned out to be for Flick. He will be expected to feature in the Liga champions' upcoming fixture against Athletic Club on May 25, which is their final game of the season.