Injury and Rodri signing push Frenkie de Jong towards exit at FC Barcelona

Frenkie de Jong is currently sidelined with a knee injury at FC Barcelona, and the club’s imminent signing of Rodri from Manchester City has sparked talk that this could be the Dutchman’s final season in Catalonia.

De Nederlander has been ruled out of action for the foreseeable future, with medical staff confirming he will not feature while the knee recovers.

Contract and early‑exit speculation

De Jong’s contract runs until mid‑2029, yet Valentijn Driessen told the Kick‑off podcast of De that an early departure is likely. “He has been injured a lot, they have tried to get rid of him before, they are now bringing in Rodri. I don’t assume that because he is injured they will try to dump him, I can’t imagine that, but I think he is in his last season,” Driessen said.

Rodri’s arrival and competition

Barcelona are close to completing the transfer of Rodri from Manchester City, creating a “stevige concurrent” for De Jong in midfield. Driessen warned that the presence of an “excellent player” in the same position could quickly change De Jong’s role.

Italian defender joins Cambuur as Rodri eyes Barcelona €75m deal

He added, “If an excellent player comes who plays your position, I can’t imagine those two playing together.” The Dutch international now faces heavy competition for a starting spot.

Transfer fee and final steps

Spanish media and transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano report that Barcelona have accepted a bid from Manchester City worth roughly €75 million for Rodri. It is expected that the Spanish international will travel to his home country this week to finalize the move.

Rodri, a product of Atlético Madrid’s youth system, chose Barcelona over Real Madrid this summer and appears set to become the club’s third major signing after Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi.