Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong has slammed "a campaign with lot of lies" regarding his salary following his summer transfer saga linking him with a move to Manchester United.
The 25-year-old was strongly linked with a big-money transfer to Old Trafford, but a switch failed to materialise as he insisted that he wanted to remain to Camp Nou.
Amid their financial concerns, Barcelona were believed to be keen to offload the Netherlands international, who is allegedly one of the highest earners at the club pocketing in the region of £400,000 per week.
It was reported over the summer that De Jong is to be owed around £17m in deferred wages, an arrangement mutually agreed between both parties following the coronavirus pandemic.
However, De Jong has spoken out over the speculation surrounding his salary and claims the figures published in the media are "false".
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"There have been many lies and falsehoods spread about my salary," the Dutchman told TV NOS, via Mundo Deportivo.
"In each of the first three years I played here, I cut my salary. Eventually the money comes back, and it comes on top of my normal salary, so it looks bigger.
"I think a lot of people don't understand this, but the figures the media are spreading are false."
In an interview with ZiggoSport, De Jong added: "I don't think I am Barca's best paid player after [Lionel] Messi", who departed the Catalan giants to join Paris Saint-Germain last summer.
De Jong is under contract at Camp Nou until the summer of 2026, but speculation continues to swirl surrounding his next career move.
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Man United are said to be considering another swoop for the midfielder in the New Year, while Liverpool are the latest club to have been credited with an interest.
However, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano claims that De Jong is determined to stay put in Catalonia and "nothing has changed" regarding his future.
"Nothing has changed on Frenkie de Jong's side," Romano wrote in his column for CaughtOffside. "As he said also in the last days and weeks, he wanted to stay at Barcelona and there are still no changes.
"This situation could only change if Frenkie himself decides to go. Liverpool were focused on different kind of players, despite rumours on Frenkie de Jong at the end of August and again more recently."
De Jong has started only five of his 11 appearances for Barca across La Liga and the Champions League this season, with the likes of Pedri, Sergio Busquets and Gavi preferred ahead of him by head coach Xavi.
Oliver Thomas
