BARCELONA, Spain (BN24) — Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong signed a contract extension with the club through 2029, the Spanish champions announced Wednesday, reaffirming his place at the heart of their long-term plans.
The Dutch international, who turned 28 earlier this year, joined Barcelona from Ajax in 2019 in a high-profile move and has since become a mainstay in midfield. He has made over 250 appearances for the Catalan club, winning two La Liga titles and two Copa del Rey trophies during his six full seasons at Camp Nou.
“Barca are confident that the midfielder can be a pivotal part of the current sporting project due to his quality and experience,” the club said in a statement announcing the deal.
De Jong, speaking at a news conference, described the extension as the continuation of a childhood dream.
“I always dreamed of playing for Barca, and now that I am living that dream, I want to continue pursuing it for many more years,” he said. “I am eager to win more titles with this club.”
The midfielder has faced fluctuating form since his arrival, but solidified his role under coach Hansi Flick last season, forming a key partnership with Spain international Pedri Gonzalez in midfield.
His contract extension comes after prolonged speculation about his future, including attempts by the club to sell him in 2022 as part of a broader financial restructuring. De Jong opted to stay, resisting offers from other clubs.
Spanish media reported that De Jong has agreed to a salary reduction in his new deal, effective from the 2026–27 season. The player, however, addressed past reports about his wages, calling them exaggerated and misleading.
“I will not tell you what I will earn,” he said. “They’ve always talked about it a lot, but I think the numbers reported before have been exaggerated. I think that has affected how people see me. If they read in newspapers that Frenkie earns this, that he’s the highest-paid player in Europe, it has an impact.”
De Jong, who joined under former club president Josep Maria Bartomeu, was at one point one of Barcelona’s highest earners amid the club’s financial struggles. Despite speculation about his cost to the club, he insisted that he has never felt undervalued within the team.
“I don’t feel under-valued by my teammates, coaches, or anyone inside the club,” he said. “That’s more of a media thing.”
Barcelona, currently undergoing a rebuild under Flick, sees De Jong as a central figure in their efforts to return to European prominence. His new contract is expected to give the club greater financial flexibility while securing the services of one of its most experienced players.
