Frenkie de Jong has taken a strong stance against recent media reports linking him with a potential summer departure from Barcelona. The midfielder, currently the club’s highest earner, has been at the center of transfer speculation due to Barcelona’s ongoing financial difficulties.
He told a press conference: “If I’m honest, I am getting quite irritated lately. I am very angry at what you (media) write or say about me. There are a lot of stories that are simply not true. I simply can’t get my head around it. Some of you write lies all the time and I don’t get how you are not ashamed about it.
“There’s a lot of talk about my contract situation and my salary. There’s a lot of smoke in there and plenty of lies. You the media are saying that I earn around €40m per year… this is really far from the truth. I am not going to reveal figures, but that’s simply lying. I am really happy here. Barcelona was and is the club of my life, it was my dream to play here and it still is. I am not happy with the press and everything that surrounds the club because, as I’ve been saying, it’s full of lies.”
Xavi’s side are currently in Italy preparing for the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie with Napoli on Wednesday. The Nerazzurri changed managers just 48 hours before the game, sacking Walter Mazzarri and bringing Francesco Calzona.