Barcelona chief Joan Laporta has rubbished reports that the club asked Frenkie de Jong to take a pay cut amid their financial woes.
During Manchester United’s chase of the midfielder over the summer, it emerged that the La Liga giants owed the player deferment money from an agreement during the pandemic.
By this time, United had shook hands on a deal in principle with Barcelona for De Jong. But as the window dragged on, the chances of this advancing increasingly diminished.
Despite the option to cash in on £56m for the Dutchman, Barcelona were selling off club assets to fund transfers for the likes of Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski. READ MORE: Frenkie de Jong has explained why United should avoid making January bid Reports in subsequent weeks claimed that officials at the Nou Camp were refusing to release the quoted €15m to De Jong and were in fact trying to pressure him into reducing his wages.