Barcelona change plans about Dutch striker’s future | OneFootball

A poor start at Barcelona has often not bode well for aspiring players. Several stars have arrived at Camp Nou only to crumble under the continuously piling pressure. However, Luuk de Jong’s case has been unique.

Initially brought in at the request of former manager Ronald Koeman, the Dutch striker struggled to make a positive impression in his initial days. Owing to poor performances, he was later dropped to the bench.

However, his resurgence under Xavi has been something special. De Jong has scored in three of his past four games and has seemingly turned around his situation.

The former PSV player was set to depart Catalonia in January. Now, according to reports from La Cadena COPE (h/t Mundo Deportivo), Barcelona have decided to keep the forward at the club until the end of his loan.

De Jong arrived at Barcelona in the summer on a one-year loan move from Sevilla. Hence, he has six months left on his contract, which he will now likely complete.

Earlier this week, the striker spoke about his recent boost in form and said he had even surprised the manager.

“I don’t wanna leave the city now. Even if I become a substitute again, I can be valuable. I think I have surprised Xavi.”

The change in plans from Barcelona’s point of view is understandable. Ansu Fati’s recent injury coupled with the acute shortage of goalscorers has left the club in search of a solution. At the moment, the on-loan striker is the ideal candidate and is in good form.