Frenkie de Jong has suggested that he will leave Barcelona if he does not get more playing time.
The Dutch international remains a peripheral figure under coach Hansi Flick as he struggles to overcome the effects of a long-standing ankle problem.
De Jong has made just eight appearances this season and did not come off the bench in the recent defeats to Leganes and Atletico Madrid that derailed the club’s La Liga title bid.
It was another sign that Flick has no confidence in the former Ajax midfielder, whose contract expires in June 2026.
He could leave at a reduced price
Reports in Spain suggest that financially strapped Barca would only accept €20m for the 27-year-old at the end of this season, and De Jong admits his willingness to sign a new deal is solely dependent on his involvement in the coming months.
Speaking in an interview with Voetbal International, he said: “My contract renewal is a topic for the papers, but it’s not for me. I want to play football and then 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 my family.
“People think I want to stay at Barcelona forever because life outside of football here is very good, and it is good, but it is still less important than what happens on the pitch. If I felt I couldn’t contribute enough or if the team couldn’t compete, I would leave.”
Barca was a disappointment – De Jong
De Jong joined Barca in the summer of 2019 and admits it hasn’t gone entirely to plan.
He added: “I have to admit that when I signed for Barcelona, I didn’t imagine that after four years I would only win one La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup.
“I expected at least twice as much, so it disappointed me. Things happen and cannot be predicted.”
