Light at the end of the tunnel! De Jong takes a big step towards his Barcelona return
Finally some encouraging news for Barcelona fans. Frenkie de Jong is back on the grass after months of absence, although his return to the pitch is still far away.
Details: According to CentreGoals, citing Sport, De Jong has returned to solo training as he continues his recovery from a ligament injury in his right knee. The midfielder carried out running work and controlled exercises without joining the group.
The Dutchman tore the medial collateral ligament in his right knee back in July, having played through pain at the 2026 World Cup, and initially faced a layoff of five to six months. His comeback has been anything but smooth: De Jong famously refused surgery, insisting there was no need for it, which sparked an open dispute with the club's medical staff and management, who believed an operation was the only reliable solution. It is a familiar storyline at Camp Nou: back in 2024, an almost identical standoff over an ankle injury cost him nearly five months on the sidelines. According to recent reports, the 29-year-old has made progress but has also told doctors he is still feeling pain, so Barcelona will not rush him. The stakes are high for everyone: Flick's midfield has missed his control, and with Gavi also injured and Casadó out on loan at Deportivo, every week without De Jong stretches the squad. A fully fit return after the international break would feel like a major new signing in itself.
It's worth noting that De Jong joined Barcelona from Ajax in 2019 for €75 million and has since made over 200 appearances for the club, winning two La Liga titles.
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Miguel Solomons
Dailysports's expert
