Frenkie de Jong Has Changed His Situation at Barça This Season. In the first months of competition, the Dutch midfielder was criticized for his low performance and an attitude that raised doubts. Additionally, he started as a substitute, losing prominence in favor of Marc Casadó.
However, De Jong's situation has taken a radical turn. As the matches have progressed, the Dutchman has regained confidence and become an essential footballer for Flick. His improvement in ball distribution, his ability to break lines, and his tactical intelligence have led Hansi Flick to restore him to the starting position in the midfield.
Flick Bets on Experience
Hansi Flick's decision to give De Jong a leading role hasn't been an exception in his way of managing the squad. Since his arrival, the German coach has shown that in many cases he prefers to rely on experience. This has been clearly seen in the goal, where Wojciech Szczęsny has won the starting position over Iñaki Peña.
The same pattern has been repeated in the midfield. Although at the beginning Marc Casadó was the starter, Flick has opted to return the starting position to De Jong, trusting in his greater experience in the elite.
Marc Casadó Disappears from the line-ups
The big loser from this change has been Marc Casadó. The youth player started the season with an important role, even ahead of De Jong in the line-ups. However, with the evolution of the Dutchman and Flick's bet on experience, Casadó has been losing minutes.
The numbers don't lie: in the last three official matches, Casadó has been a substitute and De Jong has been a starter. This new scenario has been a hard blow for the young midfielder, who had shown talent and character when given opportunities. Now, his role within the team has been drastically reduced, which could affect his continuity at the club in the medium term.
Chelsea Is Very Interested
This lack of minutes hasn't gone unnoticed by other clubs, and Chelsea has already set its sights on Marc Casadó. According to "El Nacional.cat," the English team is very interested in signing him next summer transfer window. The Londoners see him as a midfielder with great potential and believe they could offer him a more important role.
In this situation, Barça will have to decide what to do with Casadó. If Flick maintains his bet on De Jong and the player continues without minutes, the youth player might seek minutes elsewhere. Chelsea, aware of the situation, is willing to tempt the player and seize the opportunity.