Hansi Flick declares 27-year-old Barcelona star as toxic in the dressing room; asks Joan Laporta to get rid of him: Reports

Barcelona boss Hansi Flick is reportedly unhappy with Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong's attitude in the dressing room. As per El National, the German tactician considers De Jong toxic and has asked Joan Laporta to sell the former Ajax midfielder in the winter transfer window.

La Blaugrana signed Frenkie de Jong from Eredivisie giants Ajax in July 2019 for a reported initial fee of €75 million, with €11 million in add-ons. Since then, he has made 226 appearances for the La Liga giants, bagging 18 goals and 22 assists across all competitions.

The Dutchman has played 13 matches for La Blaugrana this season, scoring one goal and providing one assist. He missed the initial matches of the season due to an ankle injury and has played only 362 minutes so far. As per the aforementioned report, Hansi Flick is unhappy because the 27-year-old is not concerned about his situation.

Having started only two matches for La Blaugrana across all competitions, Frenkie de Jong has primarily played off the bench despite being one of the highest-paid players on the team. The Dutchman has also fallen down the pecking order and is behind Pedri, Gavi, Dani Olmo, Fermin Lopez and Marc Casado.

As a result, De Jong has exhausted the coaching staff's patience, and Hansi Flick has contacted Joan Laporta to have the 27-year-old sold in the January transfer window.

Liverpool interested in signing Barcelona academy product: Reports

Arne Slot's Liverpool are interested in signing Barcelona's academy product Nico Gonzalez in 2025, as per Anfield Watch. Nico Gonzalez plays for FC Porto, but his transfer would significantly benefit La Blaugrana because of a transfer clause.

The release clause of the Spanish midfielder is estimated to be around $62 million, and if it gets triggered, Hansi Flick's side will receive $21.2 million. Gonzalez joined Porto from Barcelona in June 2023 and has since made 63 appearances across all competitions, bagging seven goals and eight assists.

Apart from Nico Gonzalez, the Reds are also interested in signing Real Sociedad's Martin Zubimendi as per the aforementioned report. The Spanish midfielder decided to stay at Sociedad earlier this summer amid reports of interest from the Reds. However, to sign Zubimendi, Arne Slot's Liverpool would have to compete with the likes of Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).