Is star Barcelona midfielder putting his legacy on the line?

Since joining FC Barcelona in July 2019, Dutch star Frenkie De Jong has been the main character of the Blaugrana club's midfield. In his 213 appearances for the Catalan club, the box-to-box midfielder enjoys impressive stats, having 38 goal contributions to his name. Known for his game vision, creative playmaking, and possession playstyle at the heart of Barcelona's midfield, he had been the no-brainer for every Barcelona XI till the 2021/2022 campaign.

Is star Barcelona midfielder putting his legacy on the line?

However, the 2022/23 campaign saw the star midfielder ruled out due to injuries for a considerable duration, and it feels like his Barcelona career hasn't been on the right track till then. The recent campaign was disastrous for De Jong; having a poor show, managing only 2 goals in his 30 appearances, and missing out for around 20 games due to an ankle sprain, the midfielder's career has been on a decline.

Even though there is no doubt that De Jong's importance in Barca's midfield can't be overlooked, questions have begun targeting the midfielder's value addition as the highest-salaried player in La Liga. It feels that the club's management feels the same, as despite him being injured, the Blaugrana club is open to hearing offers for the Dutch star.

A significant reason for this viewpoint of the majority of the fans and the people associated with FC Barcelona is that De Jong hasn't been performing the way a €38M salary player would do. Add to that his injury issues that have sidelined him for more than 4 months, and even after such a long time, the player doesn't feel toward a possible return.

According to recent reports from Diario AS, even though De Jong is about to complete 4 months since the injury, double the time set by doctors, no one at the club can predict when he will be available. On top of that, the player's negligence towards a contract renewal with new terms and conditions has worsened the player's legacy at the club.

It has been clear that Frenkie de Jong, the highest-paid player in the team, hasn't quite been materializing the same in his performance. Considering Barca's current financial conditions, they don't feel comfortable having him at around €35M gross per season with deferrals. Regarding the same, Deco had tried to negotiate with his agent for a downward renewal, but all attempts failed.

Due to these reasons, the player's legacy has been on the line for quite a while, now at the club. Currently, only a few rely on him as in his initial days, and Hansi Flick still feels one of them. According to Diario SPORT, Hansi Flick has spoken to Frenkie de Jong about playing as a pivot when he returns to the team, viewing him as a key player.

Moreover, the German manager has conveyed the message not to sell De Jong this summer. Considering him as a key player in his new Barcelona setup, Flick believes the midfielder can return to his initial level. Thus, Barca hopes that Flick's era brings the best out of De Jong, having him at the level every Culer expects him to be.