Barcelona holds a 'ticking time bomb', the entire transfer window in turmoil

Barcelona is anxiously awaiting the outcome of Frenkie de Jong's recovery from a knee injury. This unpredictability has put the Catalan side on the back foot, potentially causing them to lose out on the peak period of the summer transfer market.

Barcelona is closely monitoring every step of Frenkie de Jong's recovery after the knee injury he suffered during the World Cup while playing for the Netherlands. The Dutch midfielder chose conservative treatment over surgery following medical tests at the club which confirmed he had torn the medial collateral ligament in his right knee. This is considered a less risky approach, but it also forces the Camp Nou side to wait several more weeks before knowing the final outcome.

That waiting period is putting Barcelona's sports management in a very awkward position. The time needed to assess the effectiveness of the treatment could extend right up to the closing of the summer transfer window on September 1. This means that if things don't go as hoped, Barca will have almost no chance to bring in a replacement. This tricky problem has become the biggest concern at Camp Nou.

According to the plan, if the conservative treatment proves successful, De Jong will only return to action after he is completely free of pain, has completed full training sessions with the squad, and gets medical clearance to play. The Dutch midfielder has already traveled to England with Barcelona for pre-season training to continue his rehabilitation program. However, as of now, doctors have still not been able to give a precise assessment of the injury's progress.

De Jong wants to complete the entire treatment course before making his next decision. If the conservative approach fails, the only remaining option will be knee surgery. This scenario could sideline him for at least four months, not counting additional time needed to regain fitness and match sharpness before returning to the pitch. If that happens, the Dutch star's season would be severely impacted.

While waiting for developments from De Jong, Barcelona is actively monitoring the defensive midfielder transfer market. Rodri is a name that the Catalan club is particularly interested in, after news emerged that the World Cup Golden Ball winner wants to leave Manchester City as he believes his cycle at the club has ended. Although he is reportedly moving closer to Real Madrid, the Spanish midfielder has not yet signed any agreement, allowing Barca to explore the situation without making a formal offer.

De Jong's injury originated during the World Cup with the Netherlands. The midfielder revealed that the national team doctors initially assessed it as not too serious, so he continued to play despite the pain, until the Netherlands were eliminated by Morocco on penalties under coach Ronald Koeman. Apart from Rodri, Barcelona is also reportedly monitoring Azzedine Ounahi, as a potential reinforcement for the midfield,. While the transfer window is still open, all of Barca's plans at this point remain heavily dependent on the outcome of Frenkie de Jong's treatment.