Barcelona captain’s injury forces club to rethink summer transfer priorities – report

Barcelona captain’s injury forces club to rethink summer transfer priorities – report Barcelona were dealt a cruel injury blow early in pre-season when it emerged that captain Frenkie de Jong had suffered a medial collateral ligament tear. The Dutch midfield maestro played at the 2026 World Cup with an injury, presuming that it was not serious, and it has cost Barcelona. The club will now have to do without not just one of their best midfielders but also their leader for four to five months , and Hansi Flick is looking at alternative options. Speaking on Jijantes FC , Matteo Moretto has revealed that De Jong’s long-term injury has forced Barça to alter their transfer plans. De Jong injury changes the roadmap The club are now placing greater emphasis on strengthening midfield rather than adding another centre-back. Before De Jong’s setback, Barcelona were considering signing another central defender. “Did Frenkie’s injury change the decisions? Yes, it modified the order of priorities,” Moretto said. De Jong suffered a knee injury at the World Cup. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) “Before that, Barcelona was considering signing a centre-back, but now everything depends on whether one of the players leaves, like Christensen or someone else.” Midfield becomes the immediate concern Barcelona are instead looking more closely at midfield options as Hansi Flick prepares for an extended period without his captain. “Barcelona are looking for midfielders,” Moretto said. That does not necessarily mean a signing is certain. The club still have internal options such as Marc Bernal, Gavi, Pedri and Eric Garcia, but De Jong’s injury has reduced the margin for error in an already demanding season. Barça have also not removed Marc Casado from the transfer list despite Frenkie’s injury, and if he leaves, that would further weaken the numbers in midfield. Rodri remains on the radar Moretto also confirmed that Barcelona continue to monitor Rodri’s situation, even though they know Real Madrid currently hold the advantage . “They’re keeping an eye on how Rodri’s situation develops, although they know he has an agreement with Madrid,” he said. Barcelona are keeping an eye on Rodri. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images) The Spanish midfielder had a World Cup to remember but has since undergone minor back surgery to fix an issue. Unless Rodri’s recovery time is expected to be very minimal, it would not make sense for Barça to sign an injured player to replace another injured player. Best solution is to promote from within If this was any other position on the pitch, Barça would have been justified in their desire to sign a new player in the market. However, if there is one position where La Masia have an abundance of riches, it is in midfield, and Barcelona should look to promote from within. The likes of Tommy Marques and Brian Farinas are both excellent candidates for the position, while Xavi Espart can also play there. It does not make much sense for Barcelona to spend significant money to reinforce the midfield unless it is a transformative player like Rodri. Ultimately, the club are likely to focus on signing a striker first, and it would come as a huge surprise if they pip Madrid to sign the Spaniard.