Barcelona’s management have reportedly given Frenkie de Jong a deadline, as their frustration grows over his ongoing injury issues.
Barcelona‘s management have reportedly given Frenkie de Jong a deadline, as their frustration grows over his ongoing injury issues.
The 27-year-old midfielder has been sidelined since April after sustaining a right ankle injury during the final Clasico of last season against Real Madrid.
Barca boss Hansi Flick had hoped to have De Jong ready for the start of the current season, but the midfielder has missed the first three fixtures, all of which Barcelona have won 2-1.
While De Jong is reluctant to return to the pitch unless he is fully fit, it seems that Barcelona have grown increasingly impatient with his ongoing absence.
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Barcelona’s De Jong ultimatum
On Saturday morning Mundo Deportivo reported that Blaugrana have told De Jong that he has been given 15 days to decide his next step.
It is understood that his options are to either undergo surgery on his ankle to fix the problem or to return to action and play through the pain.
The midfielder was initially expected to be sidelined for just four to five weeks, but it has now been over four months since the injury occurred and it is still unclear as to when he will return.
De Jong has made 213 appearances for Barcelona since his move from Ajax to Camp Nou in 2019 and his contract with Barca is due to expire in June 2026.
Last season, he featured in just 20 La Liga games before picking up the ankle injury at the Santiago Bernabeu.
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Barca get two deals over the line on deadline day
Barcelona managed to get two deals over the line on deadline day, the first of which was for Ruben Lopez from Deportivo de la Coruna on a season-long loan.
The agreement is believed to include an option to buy the player for a fee of around £5m at the end of the season, though it is not an obligation.
With less than an hour until the transfer deadline, Blaugrana also reached an agreement with Ghana Premier League outfit Accra Lions for 18-year-old David Oduro.
Oduro, the first Ghanaian to don the Blaugrana colours, has agreed to join Barcelona’s reserve team on a three-year deal, running until June 30, 2027.
He will travel to Barcelona in the coming days to begin training and officially sign his contract.