Barcelona captain’s renewal could be a secret weapon in Nico Williams’ signing | OneFootball

According to a report from SPORT, Barcelona are close to completing Frenkie de Jong’s contract renewal, a move that could become key in their bid to sign Nico Williams.

After months of talks, Barça and the Dutch midfielder have practically reached an agreement to extend his stay until 2029.

This new deal is expected to be one of the most important renewals the club has made in recent years, as it could directly impact their ability to sign new players.

How is it crucial?

The main reason this renewal is so crucial lies in how the new contract has been structured. By agreeing to defer certain payments owed to De Jong, Barcelona would free up significant salary space in the short term.

This extra margin in the wage bill could be exactly what the club needs to register new players, especially Nico, who has been one of Barça’s top targets this summer.

Frenkie de Jong is close to renewing his contract. (Photo by Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images)

Sources say that deferring these payments will spread the money owed to De Jong over the coming years, giving Barça more breathing room in the current financial year.

Complex negotiations finally pay off

Negotiating with De Jong hasn’t been easy for the club. The midfielder had large amounts of deferred salary still to be paid this season.

These deferred payments date back to the time of the pandemic, when De Jong agreed to help the club by postponing part of his salary so Barça could better manage their cash flow.

But until recently, his camp was not open to discussing new deferrals, which made talks difficult.

Now, it appears both sides have found common ground. The new contract will see De Jong’s deal extended by four more years, with a slight raise compared to his previous base salary.

Importantly, restructuring how the outstanding amounts are paid will greatly reduce the team’s wage bill since De Jong’s old contract for the 2025/26 season was the highest in the entire squad.