Rodri Isn’T Even Here Yet, and De Jong Could Already Lose His Place

Rodri hasn’t even put on a Barcelona shirt yet, and the furniture is already being rearranged in Catalonia. According to Sport, as cited by Barça Universal, the Spaniard’s potential arrival could seriously affect Frenkie de Jong’s position in the team. Not long ago, the Dutchman was considered one of the pillars of Barcelona’s midfield. At Barça, however, being labelled “important” tends to have roughly the same shelf life as a summer transfer budget.

There is also the captain’s injury situation. De Jong is dealing with a knee collateral ligament problem and Barcelona have initially opted for conservative treatment. If that doesn’t work, surgery could still become an option. Meanwhile, the club is pushing for Rodri, meaning De Jong could eventually return to find a Rodri–Pedri partnership waiting for him, with the remaining midfield spot reserved for someone more attacking.

De Jong has made more than 250 appearances for Barcelona since joining from Ajax in 2019 and spent years being presented as a cornerstone of the project. Now one potential signing is enough to reopen questions about his future. Barça can change coaches, sporting directors and squad plans, but one tradition remains untouched: when there are too many midfielders, the first question is which one can be sold.