In a recent report, Defensa Central’s Real Madrid Exclusivo mentioned that Barcelona midfielder Frenkie De Jong is on the radar of Real Madrid. It has been revealed that Los Blancos are hoping to sign the Dutch midfield ace from the Catalan giants next year.
De Jong’s Injury Frustrations At Barcelona
De Jong had an injury-ravaged season at the Nou Camp after he missed a lot of games for Barca due to an ankle problem. The Dutch talent found the back of the net twice in 30 appearances for the Catalan outfit in the previous campaign across various competitions.
The 27-year-old was a positive influence at both ends of the field as he averaged 2.2 tackles, 0.7 interceptions, 1.4 clearances, 1.1 key passes and 0.7 dribbles per game in La Liga. He was even accurate when interchanging possession with his teammates based on his pass success rate of 93.1% in the Spanish first division (stats via whoscored).
De Jong’s current deal at Barcelona will expire in the summer of 2026. Thus, Hansi Flick would have no choice but to cash in on him at the end of this campaign or else risk losing him on a free transfer the following year.
Can Barcelona Boss Hansi Flick Afford To Lose De Jong?
De Jong is a decent tackler of the ball and can make a few important interceptions for his team at the centre of the park. He doesn’t mind clearing the danger when needed and can engineer some promising chances for his teammates to find the back of the net.
The Dutch sensation is also quite clever with his movements in and around the opponent’s penalty box. He is primarily a box-to-box midfielder but can also play as a defensive midfielder if required. However, injuries have derailed his career at Barcelona recently. Still, De Jong remains one of the most important members of the Catalan club‘s squad.
At 27, the Dutch midfielder is about to enter his prime and could help Barca challenge across all fronts in the coming seasons. Therefore, Barcelona cannot afford to lose him, especially not to their rivals Real Madrid next summer. Flick should rather try and keep hold of De Jong by tying him down to a new, long-term deal at the Nou Camp.
