Barcelona is preparing for the possibility of being without Frenkie de Jong for the remainder of the 2026 season, following his serious knee injury. Although De Jong's physical issues were known internally after the World Cup, the severity of the injury has been a major setback. With De Jong expected to miss around four months, Barcelona is assessing young talents from La Masia to replace him in the midfield.
Who can replace De Jong?
Tommy Marques is the first option. He impressed Hansi Flick during several first-team training sessions last season and is considered a disciplined holding midfielder with strong physical attributes, positional awareness, and defensive reliability. The young player even made his senior debut, playing two matches as a substitute.
What options does Barcelona have?
Barcelona is also evaluating other academy prospects, such as Guille Fernandez. The young player is highly regarded within the club after spending the past two summers working under Flick's guidance. He is comfortable in both central midfielder and deeper playmaker roles, and combines technical quality, intelligent movement, and attacking instincts.
What happens with Brian Farinas?
The player who had been proposed to join Girona has seen his transfer halted. Flick wants to assess Farinas personally during pre-season before making a final decision on his future in the club. Farinas has been one of the standout performers in Barça Atletic last season and has made a case for a spot in the senior setup.
Currently, Barcelona is in 6th place in the league, with no points. They have not scored or conceded any goals this season. Their next fixture is on February 7, 2027, against Atletico Madrid at home.
The final decision on whether to replace De Jong with an external player or trust in the young talents from La Masia will depend on Flick. If the German coach believes the squad lacks depth to remain competitive throughout the season, he could ask the sporting department to pursue a midfield reinforcement. For now, Barcelona seems more likely to bank on La Masia again, with the afore-mentioned youngsters being the primary focus.
