Overview
- De Jong returned to Barcelona earlier than planned on Monday for tests after reporting significant discomfort in his right knee and underwent initial medical checks at the club training base.
- Club staff found heavy swelling and a reportedly unstable joint with internal bleeding that has prevented an immediate MRI and raised suspicion of ligament damage.
- Barcelona doctors say surgery remains a possible treatment option and early estimates from Spanish reports place a potential recovery window at roughly four to six months.
- The club has expressed strong anger toward the Netherlands coaching and medical team over how the injury was managed at the World Cup, noting they were told injections were used but say they were not informed the condition had worsened.
- De Jong carries recent injury absences from 2025–26 and is under contract through 2029, so Barcelona will wait for inflammation to subside before definitive imaging and a formal treatment plan that will shape preseason and midfield planning.