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New Barcelona signing Luuk de Jong believes his physical presence could add a new dimension to the Blaugrana's attack.
Speaking on Barcelona's official YouTube channel, De Jong thinks his skill set could be utilised by manager Ronald Koeman, as he is tall and possesses aerial prowess. De Jong said:
“I am tall, I am a good header of the ball. As I already said before, I am a player with a different skillset. Koeman knows that he can use me in the final minutes when he needs a player that’s tall and good with his head. That’s the kind of player I am. As I showed in Sevilla, I also have other aspects to my game.”
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Luuk de Jong has arrived in Barcelona from Sevilla on a loan deal with an option to make the move permanent next summer. The 31-year-old Dutch striker has been signed as a direct replacement for Antoine Griezmann, who rejoined Atletico Madrid on a loan deal.
De Jong is expected to start training with his new teammates on Monday (6th September). Luuk de Jong is expected to make his Barcelona debut against Sevilla this weekend. Speaking on the possibility of facing his old team, De Jong said:
“I’m not worried. I’m looking forward to playing with all my teammates. I’m looking forward to playing against Sevilla. And I hope to win also.”
Barcelona have only signed free agents this summer
Due to Barcelona's financial woes, they have only relied on loan deals and free agents to strengthen their squad for the new season. Despite their constraints, the Blaugrana have made some decent signings this summer.
They have signed experienced players such as Memphis Depay, Sergio Agüero and Eric Garcia, all on free transfers, before adding Sevilla striker Luuk de Jong on loan.
Barcelona were forced to let go some of their high wage earners and fringe players to balance their books. The Blaugrana sold the likes of Emerson Royal to Tottenham Hotspur for £25 million, Ilaix Moriba to RB Leipzig for £16 million and Junior Firpo to Leeds United for £15 million.
Ronald Koeman now needs to rebuild the squad following the high-profile departures of Antoine Griezmann and Lionel Messi. The Dutch manager has an ageing squad at his disposal, but he also has a few promising La Masia graduates and other youngsters.
You may also like: Paul Merson's column - Ranking the 5 best transfers in the Premier League this summer.
