Joan Laporta provides an update on the renewals of two key first-team Barcelona players | OneFootball

Fresh off clinching a domestic treble, FC Barcelona’s momentum continues off the pitch, with contract talks now taking center stage. Unsurprisingly, club president Joan Laporta is in high spirits, and true to form, he hasn’t shied away from media interaction.

The president has never been someone to shy away from talking to the media and he is usually very candid about the situation and in response to whatever questions are posed to him. Speaking to TV3, Laporta spoke on a variety of topics.

Amid the many questions posed to him, Laporta was asked about the status of the contract renewals of two key first-team Barcelona players – Raphinha and Frenkie de Jong. The latter in particular will be entering the last 12 months of his deal this summer.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

Renewals on track

As quoted by Mundo Deportivo, Laporta confirmed that Deco was working on the renewal of Raphinha and that it was on the right track. He said:

“Deco is working on it. He has a very good connection. Rapha feels very committed, we’ll reach an agreement because he wants to stay and we want him to stay.”

The president also admitted that a contract renewal for Frenkie de Jong is on tracks but it is urgent due to him being in the final year of his deal starting this summer. He said:

“Frenkie is urgent because he only has one year left on his deal, and we don’t want players in that situation. De Jong defines our style. For the past two months, there have been professional circumstances because De Jong wants to continue. We’ve discussed it and it’s pretty much agreed. We want him to stay, and he must be a key player for this project. With Frenkie, Raphinha, Iñigo Martínez… we’re on the right path.”

Frenkie de Jong and Raphinha have become fan favourites this season. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

Becoming fan favorites

Both Raphinha and Frenkie de Jong have had brilliant seasons at Barcelona. The two players are indispensable to Flick’s team. The latter missed much of 2024 with an injury but his impact since the beginning of 2025 has been nothing short of spectacular.

Coincidentally, both have been players who had not exactly won over the fanbase prior to the current campaign but by the time the curtain close on the 2024/25 campaign, it is safe to say that both of them are now fan favorites.

Their resurgence has earned them the admiration of fans, and now, with contract talks reportedly progressing well, Barcelona looks set to retain two of its most dynamic performers. Securing their futures would be a significant step in solidifying the club’s upward trajectory, and the sooner the ink dries, the better.