Frenkie de Jong injury sidelines Barcelona midfield for months

Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong has ruptured the medial collateral ligament in his right knee while playing for his national team at the World Cup. The club’s medical team says surgery is likely and the recovery period could be five to six months, leaving a long-term gap in Barcelona’s central midfield.

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has already reshuffled the midfield, rotating players such as Pedri, Marc Casadó, Alejandro Bernal, Eric Garcia, Pablo Olmo and Gavi to cover De Jong’s absence. Casadó, a promising academy graduate, has featured most frequently in the new double‑pivot and is now considered a possible transfer target, with the club reportedly valuing him at around €30 million and fielding offers from the Premier League and Saudi clubs. Despite the injury, Barcelona’s sporting director maintains confidence in the depth of the squad and its youth system to sustain performance throughout the season.