Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong has had a hellish 2024 with injuries as a recurring ankle problem kept him out for much of the calendar year. The injury occurred twice during the 2023/24 season, but after appearing again at El Clasico in April, he spent the next six months on the sidelines.
De Jong initially returned to training in early June and aggravated the injury, while he was sent home from the Dutch national team to recover properly.
“At first I was working on the ankle day and night. As soon as I woke up, I felt it immediately. Is it swollen? Did it respond? Now I've almost lost that feeling. However, the ankle has become something I have to take into account. By this I mean that I will have to continue to pay extra attention, in the form of care. For some players it's their knee, and I have it with my ankle,” he told Voetbal International (via Sport).
De Jong also explained his disappointment at not winning more trophies in Catalonia five years after joining the club.
“I must admit that when I signed for Barcelona I didn't think that after four years I would win just one League, one Copa del Rey and one Spanish Super Cup. I expected at least double that, so that disappoints me. Things happen and you can't predict them.”
The Dutch midfielder turns 28 in May and given perhaps his last major contract, he will reach a crossroads in his career. It looks like he will struggle to regain his place in the starting XI, with Pedri and Marc Casado looking right at home for Hansi Flick. He also lets Gavi compete in a deeper role for minutes, although he was used further forward by Flick on one occasion.
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