De Jong’s Barcelona comeback still faces a fitness wait
Frenkie de Jong is closing in on a return to Barcelona training, but he is still expected to need two to three weeks before he can play an official match. His eventual availability would give Hansi Flick another option in a midfield already strengthened by Rodri’s arrival, as the Blaugranes head into a busier stretch of fixtures.
Barcelona News Network reported on Sunday 4 October that De Jong’s recovery was nearing its next stage. The report said images shared by the midfielder showed him training both with and without the ball, and cited Mundo Deportivo on the plans for his reintegration. This was a reported timetable, not a formal club announcement confirming a match date.
According to that account, Barcelona planned for De Jong to train on Monday with the players who remained at the club during the international break. He was then expected to join the returning internationals after they came back on Thursday 8 October, two days before the scheduled Getafe match.
That gradual progression would not, by itself, make De Jong ready for selection. The report anticipated another two to three weeks before an official appearance, with his final recovery stages needing to proceed without problems. No precise return date was confirmed, leaving his readiness dependent on how he responds as training intensity increases.
The selection implications are significant because Barcelona’s midfield was already described as the strongest area of the squad last season. The summer addition of Rodri has given Flick another high-quality choice among the three midfielders in his starting line-up, and De Jong’s return would further increase competition for those places. His absence has also shaped discussion around De Jong’s recovery.
Rodri’s arrival has already sharpened the questions around Flick’s midfield balance, while established options also need minutes in a crowded unit. De Jong’s availability would add flexibility, but he will first have to rebuild his fitness and return to his best level before the competition translates into a genuine match-day choice. Rodri’s place in Flick’s midfield plans is therefore part of a broader selection puzzle, rather than a simple like-for-like decision.
For now, the immediate test is De Jong’s response to the step back into group work, followed by the demands of a full training week. If that stage passes without setbacks, Flick should have another option as the schedule tightens; the two-to-three-week estimate, however, remains a projection rather than a confirmed comeback date.
