Frenkie de Jong debate resurfaces - is he still a nailed on starter for Barcelona?

Frenkie de Jong set a Barcelona record for the most appearances by a Dutch player. Recent midfield developments raise questions about whether he remains an automatic starter. Gavi returned from injury with strong work rate and connection with Pedri, while Marc Bernal’s rise gives Hansi Flick additional pairing options. De Jong’s season output remains strong, with 38 appearances, one goal, and nine assists, and his play has shifted toward a quicker, two-touch tempo. Some critics still question his impact in major matches, noting absences in emphatic wins and limited involvement in a Champions League tie. Barcelona’s cup results also left doubts about his influence.

"Frenkie de Jong has made history at FC Barcelona: the midfielder now holds the club record for the most appearances by a Dutch player. That's nothing to sniff at given Barcelona's storied history with players from the Netherlands. But the latest debate surrounding the midfielder asks whether the era where the Dutch midfielder is a guaranteed starter might be drawing to a close. That's because the landscape in the Blaugrana midfield has shifted recently."

"It's not that De Jong has had a poor year - no, if anything, it's quite the opposite. With 38 appearances, a goal, and nine assists, he has posted some of his best statistical output since his standout 2020-21 campaign under Ronald Koeman. Under Flick, De Jong has been playing at a quicker, two-touch tempo rather than relying so heavily on the long, ball-carrying runs that originally made him famous at Ajax."

"Yet a feeling persists among some critics that he hasn't consistently dominated the grandest stages. He was missing during the emphatic victories over Newcastle United (7-2 in the UEFA Champions League) and Atlético Madrid (3-0 in the Copa del Rey). And while he shone during the winter months, his presence couldn't avert the heavy cup defeat at the Metropolitano that ultimately proved fatal for Barcelona's Copa del Rey chase."

"And while he shone during the winter months, his presence couldn't avert the heavy cup defeat at the Metropolitano that ultimately proved fatal for Barcelona's Copa del Rey chase. Though to be fair, De Jong did not play almost any role in Barcelona's doomed Champions League tie vs. Atlético, as he logged only 10 minutes over two legs."

Read at Barca Blaugranes