On October 20, 2020, just one week before resigning cornered by the motion of censure, Joseph Maria Bartomeu renewed to Ter Stegen, Lenglet, Pique and De Jong. An extension of contracts that sought to reduce the weight of the wage bill in the midst of a pandemic. The club saved some 18 million in salaries, 30 in total counting the amortizations of Lenglet and De Jong. But it was not a simple deferral since the savings for Bartomeu’s last year meant an additional 311 million additional cost for the club.
Lenglet, with a contract until 2023, and Ter Stegen (2022) renewed for three years and De Jong (2024) and Piqué (2022) extended two courses. The four renewals were made hours before the negotiating table was set up with the rest of the workforce, which was to discuss the formulas to lower the wage cost in the midst of a pandemic and which agreed to defer 122 million in salaries and 50 in variables, so total savings was 172. Piqué’s renewal had gone along those lines, earning the same salary that he had in more years, but in the case of Lenglet, Ter Stegen and De Jong they lowered it a little that first season but then almost doubled their emoluments.
The board of directors of Joan Laporta, who is studying taking it to the Prosecutor’s Office, has already transferred these four players who see signs of criminality and unfair administration in these contracts. He has proposed going back to previous salaries, pointing out that otherwise he will take him to court. Piqué, the only one who did not benefit from the renewal, is for the moment the only one who has been willing to do so.
The center negotiates a new contract, which would end as before in 2024, lowering his salary very significantly. A move that, together with the fourth lever, would facilitate the registration of the five signings (Christensen, Kessié, Raphinha, Lewandowski and Koundé, not counting the re-signed Sergi Roberto and Dembélé).
The transfer as a solution
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The transfer of De Jong could also help in this regard and would be, according to club sources, a formula to be able to solve the mess of the renewal that he signed with Bartomeu. In the last tour of the USA, the anomalous situation that his salary supposed, which would now reach 19 million, was already explained to him. The Dutch international, who reiterated his desire to continue in Barcelona, indicated that he would send it to his agent to study it.
Despite the fact that Barça reached an agreement with Manchester United to transfer him for 75 million plus 10 in variables, Frenkie still has no interest in this option. Chelsea is an option that he would see with better eyes, since it would allow him to play in the Champions League and be able to live in London, but at the moment he is reluctant to end his time in Barcelona. At the Gamper, before closing the win against Pumas, the Dutch midfielder heard some whistles when he was introduced.