Central MidfieldNetherlands29 years oldPlays for FC Barcelona
Photo: Yuliia Perekopaiko, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; resized and cropped.
Frenkie de Jong is a central midfielder for FC Barcelona, born on 1997-05-12. The Dutch international is entering the 2026-27 season sidelined after a medial collateral ligament tear in his right knee sustained during the 2026 World Cup, with Barcelona now assessing midfield cover ahead of the league opener.
Public reporting in the current window focuses on availability rather than on-pitch traits. The data confirms his position as central midfield, right preferred foot and 181 cm build. Recent coverage describes him as a Dutch midfield maestro in the squad context, but offers no detailed technical breakdown of dribbling, game reading or physicality at this time.
De Jong rose through Willem II Tilburg, moving from youth to the senior side in 2015 before joining Ajax Amsterdam in 2015. He progressed through Ajax Amsterdam U21 to the first team in January 2016 and left for FC Barcelona in January 2019 for a fee of €86m. At Barcelona he has been a regular under Hansi Flick, though the 2025-26 run-in was disrupted by injury. February 22nd was the last time he played a full game for the club, he missed nine games and lost minutes to Marc Bernal and Gavi on his return, and played no part in the final two matches of the campaign before linking up with the Netherlands. After the Netherlands’ last-32 World Cup exit to Morocco on June 30, examinations in Catalonia revealed the knee ligament injury. The club prefers surgery; De Jong is pursuing a more conservative approach that would reportedly keep him out for around four months, with a baseline absence of three months and up to six if surgery is required.
Ajax are also linked with Ounahi. His contract at Barcelona runs to 2029-06-30.
Chelsea are weighing a January move for Frenkie de Jong. Reports suggest the London club views him as a replacement for Enzo Fernández.