"Frenkie de Jong is in the process of recovery. He has progressed well and now it's time to wait. De Jong is participating in some training sessions and we will continue to monitor. Hopefully he can return after the international break" - Hansi Flick shared 2 weeks ago before the match against Real Valladolid.
Flick’s optimism contrasts with De Jong’s worrying condition. The Dutch midfielder has been out of action since April with an ankle injury that saw him miss the end of last season and Euro 2024.
Barca desperately need Frenkie de Jong back after Marc Bernal's long-term injury and the club are unable to make any new signings in the defensive midfield role. Hansi Flick can now only rely on youngster Marc Casado or centre-back Eric Garcia to fill in in that role.
However, even after the FIFA Days in September, De Jong is still nowhere near his return to the pitch. The 27-year-old star has not joined the team and has only trained separately under the supervision of the medical team. According to sources in the Barca dressing room, De Jong is still feeling pain and says he is not ready to play.
The above information seems to implicitly confirm that De Jong will not be able to play in September, at least in the away match against Girona on Sunday. The long-term absence of the Dutch midfielder makes Cules wonder what is happening to him?
De Jong suffered an ankle injury in the second leg of El Clasico in April. A technical twist of his left foot after a collision with Federico Valverde led to a sprain. It was the third consecutive time in the 2023-2024 season that the Barca midfielder suffered a similar injury in the same place.
The first injury occurred in September 2023, which forced him to miss 14 matches at the start of last season. In March, De Jong continued to suffer pain in the Copa del Rey match against Athletic Bilbao. Although he recovered quite quickly and performed well in the Champions League quarter-final against PSG, almost immediately after, he suffered his most serious injury in the match against Real Madrid.
Frenkie de Jong missed the last 6 matches of the season but Ronald Koeman still hoped for his student's presence when he included his name in the preliminary list to attend EURO 2024. However, after a short time, the captain of the "Orange Storm" realized that De Jong could not be ready and accept this absence.
De Jong's condition has not improved much since then. He joined up with Barca during pre-season, but his ankle injury has not fully healed and he has not been able to join the team's tour of the United States.
Barca have suggested De Jong undergo surgery, which is considered the best option for the midfielder. However, the Dutch star does not want to undergo surgery because doctors are not sure that it will completely solve the ankle problem. Instead, he has opted for long-term treatment and works with the club's physiotherapists.
The surgery also means that De Jong could be out for several more months. He will likely be out of action until 2025, when he will have just 18 months left on his current contract (which expires in 2026). Notably, De Jong is the second highest paid player at Barca. The Catalan club will spend more than 20 million euros this season.
The Camp Nou club have tried to sell De Jong several times before, but the Dutch star was persuaded to sign a contract extension and defer his salary to help the club. Most of his salary will be paid in the final years of his contract, and president Joan Laporta must find a solution.
Sporting director Deco has tried to open talks with De Jong's camp over a contract extension. A new deal would allow the Blaugrana to extend De Jong's wage payments and create financial flexibility. However, there has been no progress on a contract extension so far. If De Jong's situation does not change, the risk of him leaving for free in 2026 is entirely possible.
