Frenkie de Jong's ankle injury causes concern at Barcelona

By Ezekiel David

The possible return of Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong from his injury following the international break could be more complicated than initially thought.

According to sources, a comeback against Girona in the Catalan derby in mid-September was discussed earlier this week, but RAC1 states that the team is concerned about the weakness of his ankle.

“A small knock or a heavy tackle could cause a relapse, even if he is back in action in a few weeks,” sources claim. The 27-year-old reportedly suffers from chronic instability in his ankle, leaving it vulnerable to further injury even after recovery.

Barcelona fear that De Jong will need surgery to get back to full fitness, as the only way to properly treat the ligament instability would be through surgery. The club's concerns have increased because they have fewer options in midfield due to Marc Bernal's season-ending cruciate ligament injury.

Last season, Dutch coach Ronald Koeman accused Barcelona of bringing De Jong back too soon after a previous injury. The club's handling of his current situation will be closely monitored as a relapse could have significant consequences for both player and team.

(Source: Barca Universal)