Barcelona inform Frenkie de Jong that they are in a position to "initiate criminal proceedings" over alleged wrongdoings regarding his contract extension in 2020: Reports

Barcelona have informed Frenkie de Jong that they have grounds to return him to the deal he was on before his contract extension, a report from The Athletic has claimed. The Blaugrana have reportedly claimed that the terms given to De Jong by the previous board allegedly involved criminality and provided grounds for legal action against all involved parties.

Barcelona find themselves in tricky waters in the De Jong saga. The club either want to offload the highly-rated midfielder for a substantial fee or reach an agreement with him over reducing his wages. So far, the Dutch midfielder has shown neither any interest in taking a pay cut nor eagerness to leave the Camp Nou.

According to the aforementioned report, Barca contacted the midfielder over a legal complication on July 15. The Catalan giants claimed that they had found evidence of criminal actions on behalf of the individuals who paved the way for De Jong’s renewal on October 20, 2020.

The contract reportedly extended his stay for two seasons, reducing his salary for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons and spreading €18 million in deferred wages across the four following seasons.

Barcelona also communicated to De Jong that him, alongside all the other individuals who were involved in the deal, could be implicated if the legal proceedings took place. The club’s current board are confident about having grounds for criminal proceedings. They supposedly wish to figure out who all were responsible for the wrongdoing in De Jong’s deal.

It is believed that Barca now want to rescind De Jong’s current deal and get him back on his initial contract, which he signed after joining from Ajax in 2019. That way, they would be able to keep him at the Camp Nou (on a reduced salary) and possibly register their newly-purchased players.

The previous board, however, are confident in the legality of De Jong’s extension in 2020, as it was agreed after the verification from legal parties and La Liga. De Jong's current contract with the club runs until June 2026.

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Frenkie de Jong impresses in Barcelona’s Joan Gamper Trophy win

Xavi’s Barcelona took on Mexican outfit Pumas UNAM in their last pre-season friendly on Sunday evening (August 7). In the Joan Gamper Trophy final, the Blaugrana ran circles around the opposition, eventually cruising to a 6-0 win.

Robert Lewandowski, Pedri (twice) and Ousmane Dembele scored in the first half, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and De Jong scored in the second. The Dutchman's 84th-minute strike was one of the best goals of the match, with the midfielder piercing through the defense to find the back of the net in style.

He also impressed with his distribution, ability to dictate tempo, and work rate. Despite not being on the best of terms with the club, his performance was up to the mark, showing just how brilliant a professional he is.

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