Barcelona are reportedly growing increasingly concerned about Frenkie de Jong’s persistent ankle injury, which has limited the Dutch midfielder to just 45 minutes of playing time since early March.
The issue began with an ankle sprain in September, sidelining him for about two months.
De Jong made a strong return, featuring regularly until he was forced off after 26 minutes during a La Liga match against Athletic Club.
Following that setback, he missed four games but was brought back into the starting lineup for the highly anticipated El Clasico against Real Madrid.
However, he could only manage a brief appearance at the Bernabeu on April 21 before being withdrawn at half-time. That match remains De Jong’s last appearance to date.
De Jong’s injury troubles have also affected his international duties, as he had to withdraw from the Netherlands squad ahead of Euro 2024, missing the entire tournament.
His recovery has been slow, and he has not been close to making a return in the early stages of the new season.
According to local radio station RAC1, De Jong’s ankle remains “tender,” and there are concerns about the risk of a relapse if he returns too soon.
Yhe situation may be more complex than initially thought, with surgical intervention potentially needed to fully address the problem.
However, there is no clear timeline for De Jong’s recovery, leaving Barcelona in a difficult position.
This injury crisis has left Hansi Flick, Barcelona’s head coach, with limited options in midfield. The club is already grappling with financial constraints, and the transfer window is about to close, further complicating their situation.
Flick’s squad is already missing key players, with Gavi also sidelined and Ilkay Gundogan having departed the club.
In a bid to find a solution, Barcelona had pinned their hopes on 17-year-old Marc Bernal, who started in La Liga matches against Valencia, Athletic Club, and Rayo Vallecano.
Unfortunately, Bernal suffered a torn ACL during the match against Rayo, adding to the club’s woes.
Flick reportedly turned down a potential move for N’Golo Kante, and Barcelona missed out on securing a loan deal for Liverpool midfielder Stefan Bajcetic, who instead joined Red Bull Salzburg.
With few alternatives, Marc Casado, another La Masia graduate who has already been promoted to the first team, appears poised to step into a more prominent role.
Additionally, Pau Prim, another young talent from the youth ranks, may find himself more involved in the first team as Barcelona navigates this challenging period.
