La Liga heavyweights Barcelona are reportedly keen on keeping hold of 31-year-old Dutch forward Luuk de Jong beyond the summer.
According to a report by Spanish publication SPORT, Luuk de Jong could be set to stay put at Barcelona beyond the summer transfer window. The 31-year-old forward has left an indelible mark at Camp Nou, prompting the Blaugrana to consider re-signing him on loan from Sevilla in a few months.
Luuk de Jong joined Barcelona on loan from Sevilla on deadline day in last summer’s transfer window in a surprising move as the Blaugrana sought a cost-effective replacement for Antoine Griezmann. The move drew widespread criticism, with the Dutch international’s performances vindicating the disapproval of the transfer.
The 31-year-old failed to convince Xavi Hernandez initially, and speculation leading up to the January transfer window pointed towards the possibility of the loan deal being cancelled in the winter. But de Jong has answered his critics by producing several game-changing performances off the bench in the last few months.
The Dutch forward scored seven goals in 24 appearances across all competitions, leaving many impressed by his ability to change the course of a match off the bench. The most recent exhibition of his qualities came in the come-from-behind win over Levante last weekend, which retained Barcelona’s faint hopes of winning the La Liga title.
It looks like de Jong has done enough to convince Barcelona to keep hold of him beyond the summer transfer window. The report claims that the Blaugrana could look to re-sign the 31-year-old Dutch forward on another season-long loan deal ahead of the 2022/23 season.
The development comes in the wake of recent comments from de Jong, who hinted that he wants to stay put at Camp Nou beyond the summer transfer window. But rumours in the last few weeks have claimed that the experienced striker is attracting interest from several other clubs in Spain, with Sevilla keen on selling him.
Also Read: Three Erling Haaland alternatives for Barcelona
But Barcelona’s change in stance could complicate matters, especially with de Jong admittedly open to remaining at Camp Nou. It will be interesting to see which way the pendulum swings, with the possibility of the 31-year-old extending his stay in Barcelona rising.
