Barcelona hand 15-day ultimatum to star midfielder amid fitness concerns

The fitness of Frenkie de Jong has been nothing short of an enigma at Barcelona over the past few months.

The midfielder has yet to play for the club ever since picking up an injury on April 21 against Real Madrid. He was called up to the Netherlands squad for Euro 2024 but failed to make a single appearance due to his ankle problem.

Recent reports indicate de Jong is still facing discomfort in his ankle and has been urged to undergo surgery in order to alleviate the issue.

Barcelona’s ultimatum to de Jong

Now, a recent report from Mundo Deportivo suggests Barcelona have issued a two-week ultimatum to Frenkie de Jong.

This comes on the back of Marc Bernal’s recent ACL injury, which has sidelined him for the entire season.

Bernal’s injury has exacerbated the need of Frenkie de Jong (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

Bernal’s injury, coupled with Ilkay Gundogan, Sergi Roberto and Oriol Romeu’s departure, means coach Hansi Flick is devoid of options in the defensive midfield role.

The club, therefore, are in urgent need of his services. With a crucial period approaching, Barcelona’s management has told De Jong they require him on the field, even if he has to play through the pain.

The midfielder, known for his technical prowess and game intelligence, remains adamant about returning only when he feels 100%.

In this context, Barcelona has set a 15-day period to evaluate De Jong’s progress. If there is no significant improvement, the club’s medical team has recommended surgery as the only viable option to end his pain and possibly have him fit for the second half of the season.

Head coach Hansi Flick has expressed his hope to have De Jong back after the international break. However, if the midfielder does not recover, a difficult decision looms on the horizon, with the final call resting in De Jong’s hands.

Source link : https://barcauniversal.com/barcelona-hand-15-day-ultimatum-to-star-midfielder-amid-fitness-concerns/

Author : Connell Edgar-Jones

Publish date : 2024-08-31 09:28:47

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