Following Barcelona’s announcement of a tear in the medial collateral ligament in his right knee, Frenkie de Jong has issued a personal statement on Instagram to clarify the situation surrounding his injury and his dedication to the club.

The 29-year-old midfielder sustained the injury during the World Cup and continued to play through it, causing his knee’s condition to worsen.

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It has now been confirmed that De Jong has a full MCL tear. While surgery has been ruled out for the time being, he faces a potential five-month recovery period.

Questions over De Jong

In light of these developments, speculation has emerged suggesting that the relationship between Barcelona and De Jong has suffered a blow due to how he and the Netherlands’ medical staff managed the injury.

Out for five months. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Moreover, some reports claimed De Jong had hesitated to exert himself for Barcelona during the season’s final phase to remain fit for the World Cup, which led to him losing the trust of manager Hansi Flick.

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In response to these speculations, De Jong has firmly denied the claims, affirming his steadfast commitment to Barcelona.

Full statement

De Jong’s complete statement is as follows:

“Dear fans,

“Normally, I don’t pay much attention to what is being written about me, the team or the club. But recently, there’s been a lot of speculation about my injury and my situation at Barça.

“It’s difficult for me to see people questioning my relationship and commitment to the club because of false reports.

“Football is everything to me, and I have always given everything I have for FC Barcelona and my country. That is why I want to share what happened.”

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De Jong then elaborated on how, after initial assessments, he was informed by the national team medical staff during the World Cup that his injury was minor, prompting him to play despite the discomfort.

“During the World Cup, I got injured on my knee. After the first assessments, the doctors told me it was a small injury and that it wouldn’t get worse if I continued playing.

“The only challenge was playing with some pain, but throughout my career I have done that whenever I could contribute to the team, both for my club and my country.”

However, it was only after returning to Barcelona last week that he learned the full extent of the injury.

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“On my holiday, I returned to Barcelona for further examinations. These showed that the injury was more serious than initially determined.

“Thankfully, at this stage there is no need for surgery, and I am now fully focused on my recovery and returning to the pitch as soon as possible.

“Every day, I work to be in the best possible shape. I take my profession, my body and my responsibility to the team extremely seriously. But sometimes there are things you cannot control, and this injury is one of them.”

Reiterating his dedication to both club and country, De Jong concluded:

“Playing for Barça and Oranje is something I feel incredibly proud of, and my commitment to both will never change. I will continue to give everything for this badge, for my teammates and for our fans.

“There are still many moments to create and goals we want to achieve together. Thank you for all your support. I can’t wait to be back.”

“Visca Barça Sempre,” he finished.