Barcelona anger grows as Frenkie de Jong delays decision on surgery

Barcelona are increasingly frustrated by Frenkie de Jong’s handling of his ongoing physical problems, with the Netherlands midfielder still unwilling to undergo surgery despite signs that conservative treatment is not producing the expected improvement.

Sources inside Barcelona told Spanish newspaper Sport that more than six weeks have passed since De Jong’s involvement in the World Cup ended on 30 June, yet he has still not agreed to an operation. The club believes his recovery is not progressing satisfactorily and has reached the view that non-surgical treatment is close to exhausting its potential.

Barcelona’s medical and sporting departments are now firmly in favour of surgery, which they believe would bring the long-running issue to an end and allow De Jong to begin a rehabilitation programme based on clear dates and a defined timetable.

De Jong, however, remains unconvinced. The midfielder is continuing to argue for more time to be given to conservative treatment rather than taking the risk of an operation.

The disagreement has its roots in how the player’s physical condition was managed from late last winter. There is a strong feeling within Barcelona that decisions surrounding De Jong were heavily influenced by his determination to be fit for the World Cup.

De Jong last completed a full match for Barcelona on 22 February. He then missed nine consecutive games before returning to feature in six further matches, although he did not regain his place as a regular starter. He was rested for Barcelona’s final two La Liga games of the season before joining up with the Netherlands.

Barcelona’s interpretation is that the club took an especially cautious approach to his fitness in order to prepare him specifically for the World Cup.

That situation changed once the tournament began. De Jong started every match for the Netherlands and remained in the first-choice line-up until the team’s elimination on 30 June.

The player later said the Netherlands medical staff had not correctly assessed the extent of his injury. He defended his decision to continue playing, saying he knew he was capable of doing so without risking a significant worsening of the problem.

The entire handling of the case is now being questioned within Barcelona. Following the end of the World Cup, the two sides agreed to use conservative treatment for about four weeks before reviewing whether surgery would be required. The interpretation of that four-week period has become one of the major points of conflict.

De Jong believes the clock should have started when he returned to training, arguing that the specific recovery work designed to test how his knee responded only began at that point.

Barcelona strongly disagrees. The club maintains that De Jong had already been doing essentially the same rehabilitation work before he went back to team training, and therefore sees no reason to reset the four-week period. Its medical and sporting departments believe the trial of non-surgical treatment has already lasted far longer than normal.

The central concern is that the expected improvement has not materialised. Indicators concerning De Jong’s knee continue to suggest discomfort, reinforcing Barcelona’s belief that conservative treatment is nearing its limit.

For De Jong, the crucial four-week window has not yet ended. Barcelona, by contrast, considers the period to have begun immediately after the World Cup and believes continued waiting is simply postponing what is becoming an increasingly unavoidable decision.

The possible consequences extend beyond De Jong’s health. If surgery leads to a lengthy absence, Barcelona will examine the regulatory mechanisms available to create additional room for player registration. The club could also seek financial compensation from Fifa for an injury sustained while De Jong was on international duty.

Manager Hansi Flick needs clarity over when he will be able to rely fully on one of his important midfielders again, although Rodri’s presence would reduce De Jong’s role in the team.

Barcelona wants to resolve a problem that has affected De Jong for months. The player, for now, wants to wait. That difference of opinion, following everything that happened before and during the World Cup, has caused considerable dissatisfaction inside the club.