Barcelona considering loan exit for €85 million-rated midfielder

In a huge plot twist, Barcelona are reportedly considering loaning out midfielder Frenkie de Jong this summer as they are desperate to get rid of his wages ahead of the new season, reports SPORT.

Barça have made some stellar additions to their ranks this summer but need to clear out space for the new arrivals on their wage bill in order to stay within La Liga’s salary cap limitations.

It is proving to be a challenge, though, as they have been unable to move out players as freely as they would have liked.

De Jong is one of the players who the Catalans are intent on offloading as he is on a massive contract and his exit alone would help create a lot of room on their wage bill to accommodate the new signings.

To that end, Barcelona already have an agreement with Manchester United over the transfer of the Netherlands international in a deal worth around €85 million, including add-ons. However, the midfielder has been reluctant to leave the Catalans for the Red Devils.

At the same time, de Jong is not willing to agree to another salary cut, after having already let go of a big chunk of his wages in the last couple of years. It has left Barça in a quandary, who are now considering the possibility of sending the midfielder away on loan.

Apart from Manchester United, clubs like Chelsea and Bayern Munich are interested and could consider signing de Jong, while the midfielder would also be open to joining those teams as they will be competing in the Champions League.

However, they are unlikely to offer the same fee as Manchester United, which is why the loan option is being considered as it would help Barça get rid of his wages, either fully or some part of it, at least for the upcoming season.

The report states that the Blaugrana would want to include an obligation to make the loan transfer permanent for a fee of around €80 million next year.

De Jong is believed to have made it absolutely clear to the club that he does not wish to join Manchester United. It remains to be seen if any other team is willing to come forward, now that the 25-year-old could be available for loan, albeit with a permanent transfer clause.

Player valuation in title obtained from transfermarkt.com on date of publication.