Former Real Madrid Midfielder Blasts Barcelona Over the Treatment of Dutch Midfielder Frenkie De Jong

• Rafael van der Vaart has hit out at Barcelona over their treatment of their own player Frenkie de Jong
• Barcelona want to offload the 25-year-old this summer to raise funds for the club but are unwilling to pay him his owed wages
• The Catalan giants have tried to bully some of their players into leaving or accepting salary cuts to stay

Former Real Madrid midfielder Rafael van der Vaart has criticised FC Barcelona over the way they are handling their midfielder Frenkie de Jong.

The Camp Nou outfit have faced a lot of backlash in recent weeks, especially for their treatment of the Dutch player.

The Spanish giants are doing their best to force the 25-year-old out of the club this summer in order to get the Dutchman's massive salary off their books.

As reported by Tribuna, Barcelona wrote to De Jong last month, threatening 'legal action' if he doesn't go back to his original 2019 Camp Nou contract.

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This has angered van der Vaart who has blasted the Spanish club on the way they are handling his countryman.

"Barcelona can't treat people like that. Frenkie De Jong earns too much?," he told Ziggo Sport.

"First you sign a contract and then you fulfil it or you go on good terms, but not like that. This is mafia and they must be punished."

"The name of Barca has come out of it looking very bad. It is great club and everyone wants to play there.

"But from here on we are judging it in a different way and to me it's a disgrace when you play for them."

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Meanwhile, Marco van Basten is the latest ex-player to comment on the workings of the Blaugrana.

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As reported by 90Mins, the former Ajax player said that Johan Cruyff would be ashamed to see how Barcelona have conducted business.

The club have bullied some of their players into leaving or accepting salary cuts in order to stay at the club. Frenkie de Jong’s case has been the most publicised, with Barca constantly trying to find new ways to get him to leave.

The club are also around €1.3bn in debt but have managed to spend over €150m on transfers. It’s for these reasons, and more, that van Basten has now criticised the club.

Gary Lineker Slams La Liga Club Over the Treatment of Dutch Midfielder Frenkie De Jong

Sports Brief earlier reported that Barcelona’s treatment of Dutch midfielder, Frenkie de Jong has been heavily criticized by former England international and football pundit Gary Lineker.

Barcelona are itching to sell the 25-year-old midfielder in a bid to raise money for the cash-strapped club and has already agreed to a deal with Manchester United for the Dutch player.

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Lineker has been shocked by the behaviour of his former club whom he insists are treating Frenkie de Jong as a piece of meat.