But where is Frenkie de Jong? While FC Barcelona has started its season with a bang, with four wins in as many games, there is one big absentee: the Dutchman. The former Ajax player has not played since April 21 and his ankle injury during a Clasico. Already regularly criticized in recent seasons and often presented as a player put on the market to shore up the coffers, this situation does not help matters…
The daily life Sport gives a big update on his situation, and confirms this standoff between the midfielder and his management. The latter wants him to have an operation, but the player does not see it that way. He believes that surgery would not necessarily guarantee his full recovery. For its part, Barça is very clear: he will not play again until he is 100% and there is no longer any risk to his ankle.
It is not known when he will play again.
The club’s initial forecasts indicated a return for the start of this season. Then, these forecasts were postponed to the return from this first international break. But as the Catalan media explains, the Dutchman will not be back so soon; his absence is already confirmed for the resumption of La Liga, then for the match against AS Monaco in the Champions League in a little over a week. There is not even a return date in sight, while the player attends his team’s matches in the stands, and carries out recovery exercises on his own.
A very complex, even absurd situation, which inevitably annoys the Barça management, at a time when Frenkie de Jong is quite simply the highest paid player in the Spanish championship, ahead of his teammate Robert Lewandowski and Kylian Mbappé. Needless to say, things risk getting worse quite quickly…
