PSV Eindhoven are allegedly interested in signing on-loan Barcelona forward Luuk de Jong ahead of the summer transfer season.
According to Dutch outlet Eindhovens Dagblad, as quoted by Mundo Deportivo, Luuk de Jong could be returning to the Netherlands this summer, with former club PSV Eindhoven pursuing the on-loan Barcelona attacker.
Luuk de Jong joined PSV from Borussia Monchengladbach in 2014 and had five excellent seasons there between 2014 and 2019. He scored 112 goals and set up 56 more in 204 appearances for the Dutch giants, earning three Eredivisie titles in the process. De Jong moved to Sevilla in Spain in 2019 but struggled to replicate his PSV success.
After a pair of disastrous seasons at Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, the 31-year-old moved to Barcelona on loan on the last day of the summer transfer window to replace Antoine Griezmann, who had moved to Atletico Madrid.
De Jong’s signing was panned by Barcelona fans, who were less than enthusiastic about the Dutchman’s arrival. And his early performances in the 2021/22 campaign did little to improve that perception.
De Jong was shut out of the first-team roster after Xavi Hernandez was named manager in November, and he seldom played under the Barcelona veteran. Xavi had to call on the 31-year-old due to a slew of injuries around the turn of the year, and the Dutch forward delivered.
In the following weeks, De Jong scored some crucial goals for Barcelona. His playing time did not increase much when Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ferran Torres arrived. And, as the season draws to a close, the Catalan giants have decided not to sign the striker on a long-term basis.
Barcelona are unlikely to keep de Jong beyond this season, despite his seven goals in 29 games and usefulness as a bench option. Once his loan arrangement with Sevilla expires on June 30, the 31-year-old might be on the move once more.
The Dutch giants are willing to pay a fee for their former striker rather than wait until his contract ends next year to sign him for free. A long-term stay at Camp Nou is improbable and with de Jong having no future at Sevilla, a return to PSV is a possibility, but Atletico Madrid is also thought to be keen.
