Barcelona: 3 things Luuk de Jong will bring to Barcelona

3. Squad Depth

Barcelona now have solid depth in the striking area. Martin Braithwaite, Sergio Aguero and Luuk de Jong are outright strikers with Memphis Depay capable to play as a No.9 as well as on the wings, as an inside forward. When Ansu Fati and Ousmane Dembele return, the Barcelona strike force is going to be fearsome.

Ideally, while playing a front three, Depay, Dembele and Fati will be the starters but Koeman could turn to any of his strikers as per the situation in the game. In tight games where teams defend deep and penetration is not easy, crossing from the flanks becomes an alternative or taking long-range shots.

In both cases, de Jong can come to the rescue. Most recently, in the game against Athletic Bilbao which ended in a 1-1 draw, the presence of a player like Luuk would’ve made a big difference in the culminating stages of the game.

When Barcelona are a goal down, adding an extra striker can often pay dividends and Luuk de Jong can be entrusted with his aerial prowess to make a difference as balls are bombarded in the box. It’s now up to Koeman how he man-manages the squad especially the attack as now he has a plethora of options to choose from.

The arrival of Luuk de Jong on a harmless loan is a positive. Even if he fails to win the confidence of the Barcelona faithful, at the end of the season, he can shake hands and return back to Sevilla and if he manages to score some goals that can make the fans jump off their seats, his name will be remembered for years to come.

Will Luuk de Jong prove to be a successful signing for the Blaugrana?