Luuk de Jong has been introduced as Barcelona’s new centre-forward after joining from Sevilla on loan. The Dutchman arrived amid a flurry of activity on transfer deadline day that saw Saul join Chelsea, Antoine Griezmann head to Atletico Madrid and De Jong head north to Camp Nou to work under Ronald Koeman, who’s coached him with the Dutch national team. “When there’s a cross, Luuk is more dangerous than Neymar,” Koeman said.
De Jong, 31, has scored the majority of his career goals with PSV; 112 in 204 games. He’s also hit 59 in 120 for Twente, and managed 19 in 94 for Sevilla. The centre-forward also endured less fruitful spells in Germany and England with Borussia Monchengladbach and Newcastle United respectively. He’s scored eight goals in 38 appearances for the Netherlands.
Barcelona face a difficult season. They lost Lionel Messi as well as Griezmann this summer, to Paris Saint-Germain, and are now heavily reliant on their younger guns to step up to the plate and help the club compete in La Liga and the Champions League. They opened the season with a 4-2 defeat of Real Sociedad before drawing 1-1 with Athletic Bilbao in the Basque Country and recording a narrow 2-1 win over Getafe. Bayern Munich are next.
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