Frenkie de Jong tells Hansi Flick his future lies in midfield

Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong has told Netherlands coach Hansi Flick that his long‑term future lies in midfield, after being deployed at right‑back in the Blaugrana’s recent La Liga victory over Atletico Madrid. The Dutch international stressed he is willing to fill in defensively when required but insists his natural role remains central to the team.

Flick placed De Jong at right‑back for the win over Atletico Madrid, a role the Dutchman filled without complaint. Earlier, the coach had also started him as centre‑back in the victory against Alaves not long ago.

De Jong said in an interview that he will play in defence if asked, but it will not be his long‑term position, adding “Everyone knows I’m a midfielder”. He stressed that the defensive role is a short‑term solution, not a permanent shift.

He recalled that managers at Ajax and at Barcelona under Ronald Koeman and Xavi have similarly used him in defensive positions. Those instances illustrate the flexibility expected of him at the club.

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De Jong rebuts criticism

Responding to criticism, De Jong argued that supporters rarely watch full matches and therefore misinterpret his contributions. He said people don’t watch matches regularly, few watch the full ninety minutes, and they don’t really understand the game.

He noted that the simplest metric is goals or assists and admitted his figures are much lower. Consequently, he believes the numbers do not reflect his overall impact.

After recovering from an injury sustained at the 2026 World Cup, he said he feels good and strong and is working to regain full match fitness. He added that he just needs to get back into the swing of things.

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When asked whether he is ready to play the full ninety minutes for the Netherlands, he replied “We’ll see. I feel good”. He left the question open, indicating he will assess his condition as the season progresses.