Barcelona close to renewing contracts of stars

Barcelona, under president Joan Laporta, is working towards finalizing the extension and renewal of contracts for three of its players: Jules Kounde, Frenkie de Jong, and Eric Garcia. Jules Kounde confirmed that he has reached an official agreement to extend his contract until 2030, and he is scheduled to sign it immediately upon his return to Barcelona. The French defender has become a key member of the team since joining in the summer of 2022. After settling Kounde's case, the club is seeking, according to Catalan newspaper Mundo Deportivo, to extend Frenkie de Jong's contract, which expires in 2026, with a new deal that ties him to next season and two additional seasons, with the option to extend for a fourth year. Negotiations have recently stalled due to the player changing his agent, but the club is hoping to finalize the agreement soon. Eric Garcia is the third name on the renewal list. The club wants to extend his current contract, which expires in 2026, but negotiations may be delayed until the positions of the remaining defenders are clarified. Barcelona is prioritizing the departure of Andreas Christensen or the possible exit of Ronald Araujo, while the coaching staff trusts Garcia's abilities, who is adept at playing in several defensive positions. The club is also working on finalizing the renewal of 18-year-old Marc Bernal's contract until 2029, with a release clause of €500 million, and the official announcement of the signing remains pending. Sporting director Deco joined the team's mission in South Korea after completing Pau Victor's transfer to Sporting Braga, and will use his presence to talk to the three players and finalize their new contracts, in addition to following up on some player exits before the end of the transfer window.