BarcelonaWhen in the last game, against Getafe at the Camp Nou, Sergiño Dest reached the bottom line and served a cross in the heart of the area, there was no one to finish. Ronald Koeman hopes that this will change with the arrival of Luuk de Jong, a striker who was not a starter at Sevilla and who knows that he has arrived at Barça as a resource, as a plan B, which does not marry with the prototypical ideology of Barça football but that was an explicit request from the Dutch coach. “We live off the goals and he can contribute a lot in this aspect,” said Joan Laporta during the presentation of the new Barça striker.
“The reception at Barça has been very good. In addition, I already knew the coach of having coincided with the selection of the Netherlands. The boys of the team have been very nice to me,” said De Jong about his landing at Barça. The striker also spoke about how his connection to Memphis might be: “We know each other from having played for PSV and the Netherlands. I think we will understand each other well and speak the same language on the pitch.” Barça will return to the competition against Bayern Munich and the Dutchman has said that he is available to Koeman in case he has to start. “I had an injury, but it’s been a couple or three weeks since I’ve trained normally and I’m feeling physically fit. I know the coach’s plans, he wanted a different striker.”
Barça football director Mateu Alemany recalled how De Jong’s signing was closed: “The last day of the market was complex. We had his arrival planned if the rest of the events accompanied him. While we were working on the march of Griezmman, at the same time we were working on the arrival of De Jong, we had known for weeks about the possibility of incorporating it, but it could not be closed until the last day and literally at the last minute. “It’s a good signing because of the chances we had.”
Laporta, meanwhile, said that despite the difficulties they have completed a squad to “compete and win” and called for “the support of the fans.” The top Barça leader also congratulated the Barça sports leadership for “the work done in this transfer market, despite the economic circumstances”. Laporta added that the payroll is currently around 80% of income and that the goal is to place it at 70%. “The decisions we have made in the transfer market have been to preserve the institution,” Laporta said of Messi and Griezmann’s departure. “What will excite the fans is the commitment and conviction that we will bet on the young people of La Masia,” added the vice president of sports, Rafa Yuste. As for Ronald Koeman’s position as Barça coach, Laporta reiterated that he has “all the confidence, help and respect”.
The renewal of Sergi Roberto, ready
“The renewal of Sergi Roberto is already done, all that remains is to finish closing the signatures,” explained Laporta of the renewal of the fourth Barça captain, who is finishing his contract this season. “I want to thank Sergi, like the other captains, for his unprecedented gesture of Barcelona, helping the club. They are Barça heroes.”
Ousmane Dembélé also ends his contract this year: “A meeting is being organized with his representative. The relationship with him is good and we want him to continue with us. What he has told me is that he is very eager to “We are confident that we can reach an agreement with him, and we have a plan for the club so that he can play regularly and express all his talent.”
There was also time to talk about Philippe Coutinho. Regarding the various information that has circulated recently about the possibility that if the Brazilian reaches 100 games with Barça (10 are missing) 20 million should be paid to Liverpool, Mateu Alemany has not denied whether or not this exists clause, but has said that since his arrival at the club, they have come across “contracts with easily achievable variables” in a widespread manner. The football director added, however, that he expects Coutinho to be “a great signing for this season” and that they count on him as an “important footballer”.
The Cas Collado, in the mans of the RFEF
Alemany also spoke about the situation of Álex Collado, who is currently without a record for either the first team or the subsidiary after Barça resigned so that he could leave on loan to Sheffield United. “We sent the documentation two days earlier: transfer agreement signed by the club and the player, and his resignation. Sheffield acted late.” To solve this case, the Barça executive has stated that “it is up to the Spanish Football Federation to cancel the cancellation, as if it had not taken place, so that it can continue to be registered”.
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