Barcelona are reportedly considering taking legal action over Frenkie de Jong's contract after asking him to take a pay cut.
The Spanish giants want De Jong, 25, to either reduce his salary or leave the Camp Nou to allow them to register their new signings. As per La Liga rules, they must make sales before August 13 for the likes of Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha to play.
It's believed De Jong is owed more than £17million in deferred wages by Barcelona and still has four years left on his existing deal. Manchester United and Chelsea are interesting in signing the Dutchman before the transfer window shuts on September 1.
According to The Athletic, Barcelona want to annul De Jong's existing deal and return to a previous arrangement. It's claimed president Joan Laporta and his colleagues believe the contract given to him by the previous board 'involved criminality'.
De Jong joined Barcelona from Ajax in July 2019 but signed a new long-term deal in October 2020, just as Josep Maria Bartomeu's presidency was coming towards an end. Laporta's predecessor and the club's board of directors all resigned that month.
Barcelona are struggling to find a compromise with De Jong. They've accepted a transfer offer from United, but the player has reservations about moving to Old Trafford and wants to receive the money he's owed before considering a transfer.
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De Jong's chances of joining United are looking increasingly slim after the Red Devils agreed a transfer fee with Juventus for Adrien Rabiot on Monday. The 27-year-old midfielder still needs to agree personal terms with the Premier League club.
The Athletic also report Barcelona have wrote to De Jong, claiming to have found evidence of criminal actions on behalf of the parties who brokered his extension. The deal reduced his salary for the two campaigns, with that cash now due to be paid over the next four years.
Club chiefs have reportedly told De Jong they are in a position to initiate criminal proceedings to establish what happened with the renewal. It's thought they are hoping the midfielder will resume his career under the conditions agreed three years ago.
In theory, that means De Jong will not receive the wages he's owed (or at least a significant chunk of the money). It's believed the previous board are confident De Jong's extension was legal, with Bartomeu insisting his administration was "serious and responsible".
Barcelona have reportedly told De Jong and his representatives they could be involved in a dispute. FIFPRO, a global players' union, is believed to be monitoring De Jong's situation closely amid worries he could miss out on a large chunk of his deferred wages.
Speaking on Sunday night after Barcelona's friendly win against Pumas UNAM, Laporta said: "He is a Barca player of great quality and we want him to stay. He has offers but we want him to stay and he wants to stay too."
