5 Barcelona players who could make an impact under Ronald Koeman

Former Netherlands and Barcelona defender Ronald Koeman is primed to replace Quique Setien as Barcelona's head coach.

After Setien was sacked on Monday evening, all renowned Spanish news outlets such as Sport, AS and Marca have pointed towards Koeman to be appointed as the next Barcelona manager, which is one of football's worst kept secrets at the moment.

While some players are indispensable, Koeman is expected to have his say in rebuilding the squad. Despite their recent form and fringe status at the club, five players could still make an impact at Barcelona under Koeman. Let us have a look at them.

Five Barcelona players who could make an impact under Ronald Koeman:

#5: Junior Firpo

Former Real Betis full-back Junior Firpo was lauded as one of the biggest prospects in Spain when he made his €18 million (plus €12 million in add-ons) move to the Catalan capital.

However, his progress was halted by a lack of game-time and Barcelona's tactical consistency. Koeman, though, who has a knack of nurturing young talent, could come to the rescue of the young defender.

#4: Sergi Roberto

Sergi Roberto, one of the heroes of Barcelona's famous 6-1 comeback win against PSG in the Champions League in 2016, hasn't bloomed into a key player at the club since that historic night.

His versatility can sometimes be counter-productive to him and the club. However, Koeman could provide stability to the Spain international by having him as a midfielder.

#3: Antoine Griezmann

2018 FIFA World Cup winner Antoine Griezmann has had a below-par debut season in Barcelona. Neither Ernesto Valverde nor Setien counted on him as much as he would have hoped for.

He was exiled to the bench during most of Setien's Barcelona stint. However, Koeman could have him as a main goal threat as Luis Suarez's time at the Camp Nou seems to be drawing to a close.

#2: Frenkie de Jong

Frenkie de Jong should be delighted at the prospect of his national team manager taking the hot seat at Camp Nou.

The youngster has not fulfilled his true potential since making an €75 million move from Ajax last summer. He has shown glimpses of his true worth, but under Koeman, De Jong could fathom a bigger and more prominent role in the Barcelona playing XI

#1: Miralem Pjanic

Amidst the chaos in the aftermath of Barcelona's dismal 2-8 loss against Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-final, many people have forgotten that Miralem Pjanic is now a Barcelona player.

He could bring some new ideas and creativity in the Barcelona midfield, which is struggling at the moment. The former Juventus midfielder could help Ronald Koeman rejuvenate Barcelona in the middle third of the pitch.

About the author

I am a writer for Sportskeeda and Managing Madrid. I am also the co-editor of Madrid Betar (Bangladesh's first-ever Real Madrid-based website). I also create football podcasts for my website. I am a Real Madrid fan since 2002. I see football analysis as a holistic process with a keen eye for the nuances. I try to reflect these observations into my writing.

You can find more about my journalism venture here:
https://mhassanfootball.com/

I have an MSc degree in Computer Science and my professional work resides in the software industry.

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