Barcelona angry at injured midfielder over his decision to not opt for surgery – report

Barcelona angry at injured midfielder over his decision to not opt for surgery – report Frenkie de Jong is the single biggest absentee for Barcelona heading into the new season. The Dutch midfielder picked up an injury during the World Cup and has been sidelined ever since, leaving a notable void in Hansi Flick’s midfield. Now, however, it appears his situation is starting to cause genuine tension behind the scenes at the club. Barcelona frustrated with de Jong According to Diario SPORT , Barcelona are growing increasingly frustrated with de Jong, who continues to reject the possibility of undergoing surgery despite his lack of progress. De Jong picked up an injury at the World Cup. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) More than six weeks have passed since the Dutchman finished his World Cup campaign on June 30, yet the conservative treatment he opted for has not delivered the expected results. The club feel a point has been reached where surgery is the logical next step, but the player remains reluctant. De Jong believes the four-week conservative recovery period should only be counted from the moment he returned to training. Barcelona, however, argue that he was already doing practically the same rehabilitation work beforehand, meaning the margin granted has already been far greater than intended. Barcelona’s unhappiness also stems from further back, with the club feeling de Jong’s physical management in the second half of last season was heavily influenced by his desire to be fit for the World Cup. The midfielder played his last full game for Barcelona in February before being carefully managed in the run-in. Yet with the Netherlands, he started every single World Cup match until their elimination, something the club view with a degree of scepticism. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for de Jong. (Photo by Molly Darlington/Getty Images) De Jong has since claimed the Dutch medical staff misjudged the severity of the problem, but doubts linger at Barcelona over the entire handling of the case. What’s next? For Barcelona, the priority now is clarity. The club want de Jong to undergo surgery so he can begin a recovery with more defined timelines, allowing Flick to plan accordingly. A long-term absence could also open up registration flexibility, with Barcelona potentially able to use part of that space for another player, while also receiving FIFA compensation for an injury sustained on international duty. Notably, de Jong’s importance may diminish slightly if Rodri ends up joining the Catalans, though the club are yet to reach an agreement with Manchester City.