FC Barcelona have entered the midfield transfer market following Frenkie de Jong’s MCL tear, with transfer expert Matteo Moretto reporting that the club are now actively searching for a new central midfielder. De Jong, 29, returned from the World Cup with damage to the medial collateral ligament in his right knee, and while surgery has been ruled out for now, his availability will be assessed over the coming weeks with a lengthy absence considered the more likely outcome.
Barcelona confirmed the diagnosis officially on Thursday, stating that De Jong would continue treatment under the supervision of the club’s medical staff. A source told ESPN there is no chance he will be fit for the LaLiga opener at Elche on August 23, and that in the worst case the Dutchman could miss several months of football altogether.
The injury alone would be enough to prompt a reassessment of Barcelona’s midfield resources, but De Jong’s relationship with Hansi Flick has also grown strained following several incidents in recent months, according to reporting cited by Yahoo Sports and Football España. The combination of a long-term absence and a fractured working relationship means Barcelona may not simply be filling a temporary gap – they could be planning a more permanent realignment of the midfield.
Internal alternatives have not resolved the problem. Marc Casadó could in theory absorb extra minutes, but separate reports indicate that Barcelona have set a new asking price for him and that the club has been told to listen to offers – which would effectively rule him out as a stop-gap solution and reinforce why an external signing is now being pursued.
De Jong also addressed the circumstances of the injury directly, pushing back against suggestions he had prioritised the Netherlands over Barcelona by continuing to play at the World Cup despite discomfort. He explained that early assessments indicated the problem was minor and would not worsen with continued play, and that subsequent examinations in Barcelona revealed it to be more serious than initially determined. Barcelona are now focused on identifying a midfield reinforcement as the new LaLiga season approaches.