Hansi Flick makes decision that could change future of Barcelona star | OneFootball

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has struggled to find solutions to their recent downturn in results in La Liga, and that has gone hand-in-hand with the lack of contributions from players returning from injury. Amongst those, no case is more intensely monitored than that of Frenkie de Jong.

The Dutchman has not found his best form since returning to the pitch in October after five months out. Until now, Flick has been his number one defender, feeling that de Jong at his best perfectly fits his plans for the team. However Sport say his opinion has shifted in recent months, and having seen de Jong in action, he too is having his doubts.

The German coach is now open to selling de Jong next summer in favour of a more physical and positional midfielder, someone to compete with Marc Casado as the deepest-lying midfielder in his formation. There are also doubts about whether de Jong will want to stay if he is not going to have a starting role.

De Jong’s contract situation is a headache for Barcelona, with no sign of a contract renewal on the horizon. His deal is up in the summer of 2026, and the Blaugrana are reportedly willing to accept as little as €20m for him, but there is a feeling within the Catalan club that he may run down his contract.