Barcelona handed fitness boost as key midfielder likely to receive medical green light following long injury absence - Reports
Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong is reportedly set to receive the medical green light to return following his long injury absence. De Jong has been out of action since La Blaugrana's 3-2 defeat to Real Madrid in April 2024, when he suffered his third ankle injury of the previous season.
De Jong's prolonged absence has been a major concern for Barca in the last few months, with no news about his potential return. The Dutch midfielder has missed 38 games for club and country due to three different ankle injuries since last season, including the 2024 Euros.
According to journalist Xavi Campos, Frenkie de Jong is likely to receive the medical green light soon after months of recovery. The Dutchman has returned to training under Hansi Flick in the last few weeks and is expected to return to the pitch after the October international break.
In De Jong's absence, Barcelona have been lacking a holding midfielder with a penchant for driving forward with the ball. This resulted in diminishing returns in the attack under former coach Xavi. However, new coach Hansi Flick deployed players like Marc Casado to compensate for the lack of creativity in the midfield.
Frenkie de Jong's return could help connect Barca's attack with their defense, given the Dutchman's ability to orchestrate the game from midfield. With multiple players unavailable due to short and long-term injuries, De Jong could be crucial for Barcelona's midfield for the remainder of the season.
"It's really hard, really difficult." - Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong opens up on his recovery process
In an interview with Barcelona One, Frenkie de Jong spoke at length about his recovery process, stating it was mentally traumatising for him to deal with three consecutive ankle injuries.
"It's been a tough process because playing football is what I love most, it's been my life. It's my passion. When you can't play big games, when you miss the Euros and many games with Barça, it's really hard, really difficult," De Jong said.
The Dutchman continued:
"Every day you get up, looking at the ankle, seeing how it is. Having three injuries to the same ankle caused me a bit of mental trauma, but I am gradually regaining my confidence to kick the ball hard and go strong into tackles. Hopefully it's not long now until I am back."
De Jong also clarified certain rumors making the rounds about him not wanting to undergo a surgical procedure.The Dutchman confirmed that he never refused to undergo surgery and clarified that everyone concerned decided it was the right step in his recovery process to avoid the procedure.
"Everyone at the club, the doctors and myself all agreed that surgery was not the best option. It has been very frustrating for a player who lives and breathes football to be out of action for a lengthy period," the midfielder explained.
De Jong also clarified that figures of his reported salary at Barcelona being around €37 million were false, claiming they were a long way off his real earnings at the club.