Frenkie de Jong still hasn't signed, but Thiago Alcántara has the solution: 'He's better'

Frenkie de Jong arrived at FC Barcelona more than five years ago, but his performance has cast more shadows than lights during this time. His inconsistency and constant physical problems have earned him a lot of criticism. Now, with Flick on the bench, his role has changed. The German coach considers him a key piece to give balance to the midfield and puts him in the starting line-up whenever he can, and the truth is that De Jong has improved a lot.

The concern, however, doesn't come from a sporting perspective, but a contractual one. Frenkie de Jong still hasn't renewed his contract, which expires in 2026, which sets off the alarm within the club. If everything stays the same, in January he'll be free to negotiate with any other team, so FC Barcelona's board must find a solution before it's too late.

Thiago Alcántara knows how to put pressure on Frenkie de Jong

Theoretically, Frenkie de Jong wasn't renewing his contract due to some differences with his former agent, Ali Dursun. However, several months have passed since the news broke and, for now, nothing has changed. Frenkie keeps assuring that he'll renew, but for now the papers remain blank.

In this scenario, Thiago Alcántara, Flick's new assistant, has spoken up to propose a solution. The former footballer has joined Barça's coaching staff to act as a link between the coach and the players, a task he already performed successfully last season. That connection allows him to know all the players in the locker room perfectly and propose effective solutions.

In this case, Thiago Alcántara is clear: if Frenkie de Jong still doesn't renew, Marc Bernal is ready to take the reins. Thiago knows that the youth player has just returned from a serious injury, but he's spent a lot of time with him and knows that he's already prepared. Marc already showed promise last season and he's certainly eager to prove he hasn't lost a bit of quality.

Marc Bernal is better than Frenkie de Jong

Barça must solve Frenkie de Jong's situation urgently. Joan Laporta doesn't want "21" to leave for free and will try to put on as much pressure as possible for him to sign before January.

Otherwise, if the deadline approaches and there is no progress, Flick will surely follow Thiago Alcántara's advice and regularly give Marc Bernal a place in the line-up.