Barcelona fans hoping to see Frenkie de Jong back at his best may have to wait a little longer, as Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman shared a concerning update on the midfielder's fitness.
Despite making a brief return for Barca in recent matches, De Jong is still far from fully recovering from his ankle injury, according to Koeman.
MORE: All the latest soccer news | Barcelona news
De Jong's road to recovery still rocky
Frenkie de Jong has been out of action since April due to ankle ligament damage, which saw him miss not only the European Championship but also the start of Barcelona’s 2024-25 campaign.
While he recently returned to the pitch, featuring as a substitute in Barca’s Champions League and La Liga clashes, Koeman opted to leave him out of the Netherlands squad for their Nations League games.
Koeman explained (via Speaking to Sport) his decision, shedding light on De Jong’s struggle to regain his rhythm after months on the sidelines.
"I spoke on the phone last week and, with all due respect, he is still too far away [from being fit enough]", Koeman said, adding that De Jong is still far from being fully fit.
"He played a little and just that was scary for him. It was difficult for him.
"Frenkie needs to find his rhythm and be in 100% shape, and I think he still has some time to go for that."
When will Frenkie de Jong be fully recovered from injury?
For Barca fans, it’s a waiting game, but they’ll be hoping that their star midfielder takes the time he needs to get back to full fitness.
After all, rushing back too soon could do more harm than good. The Blaugrana faithful are keen to see De Jong regain his form and lead the midfield once again — but patience, it seems, is the key.
Barcelona will need him at his best for the long season ahead, but for now, it looks like De Jong’s comeback is still a work in progress.
The Catalan side do, however, have a number of players set to return to the starting line-up shortly - including Gavi.
