Barcelona ready to use Frenkie de Jong as part of swap deal to sign Real Madrid target: Reports

Barcelona could reportedly consider using Frenkie de Jong in a swap deal to land Real Madrid target Fabian Ruiz. Amidst financial constraints and injuries, Barcelona are poised to strengthen their midfield options, and Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Ruiz seems to have appeared on their radar.

Before Ruiz made his way into Barca’s possible signing list, they were reportedly interested in Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich. New boss Hansi Flick was interested in the midfielder, having previously worked with him at the Allianz Arena.

However, with the move seeming unlikely to materialise, as they cannot afford a transfer due to their poor finances, the Spanish giants are considering other options. One player they have identified is Ruiz, according to Sport.

However, signing the PSG man at the moment is a pipedream for Barcelona due to their financial constraints. They would have to offload some players for Ruiz’s move to become a possibility.

As per the aforementioned source, Barca could offload Frenkie de Jong to make the move a reality. De Jong’s relationship with the club's board has reportedly gone south over the last two years, making him a potential candidate for departure

Furthermore, the Dutch midfielder is the club’s highest paid player, as he reportedly earns a whopping base salary of €721,154 per week, making him the highest paid player in Europe’s top five leagues. With Barcelona financially hamstrung at the moment, the board could consider parting ways with him in a possible swap deal to balance their finances.

De Jong joined Barca from Ajax in 2019 for a reported €86 million. He has scored 17 goals and provided 21 assists for the club in 213 appearances across competitions.

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Why Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong is refusing to undergo surgery for ankle injury

Frenkie de Jong is reportedly refusing to go under the knife for his ankle injury due to Barcelona doctors being unable to confirm if it would fix his issue.

The Dutch midfielder sustained an ankle injury last season from which he's still recovering. His return date is unknown at the moment as he continues to train separately from his teammates.

As per reports, the 27-year-old midfielder has been told by Barcelona officials that he must undergo surgery soon. However, the player is yet to accept the push for surgery. Former presidential candidate Victor Font explained why De Jong is yet to yield to Barca’s request for surgery (via 90min);

"I met him by chance, and he told me that he prefers not to have surgery, that although the club has proposed it to him, they do not give him guarantees of success," said Font, who fell short to Joan Laporta in the presidential elections in 2021.

"It is a complicated position, and you have to be understanding with the player. You have to support him. The squad is super short, and the ideal is for all the injured players to return as soon as possible."

De Jong is yet to make an appearance for Barca this season.