‘Very strange!’ - Luuk de Jong took Lionel Messi’s seat in Barcelona dressing room but was never signed as the Argentine icon’s replacement

A summer of shock transfer activity at Camp Nou in 2021 saw eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi head for the exits as a free agent. After seeing him depart for Paris Saint-Germain, Barca – with funds in short supply – drafted in Netherlands international De Jong on loan from Sevilla.

Eyebrows were raised after seeing that deal completed, but De Jong says he was not acquired to fill the boots of an all-time great in Catalunya. He has told The Guardian: “That was very strange. Of course I was not brought in as his direct replacement. No-one can replace that man. I came there as a target man. But I was actually sitting at his place in the dressing room. That was nice.”

De Jong was acquired by Ronald Koeman, but saw his fellow countryman sacked a matter of weeks later. He struggled for regular game time under Xavi, but did register seven goals through 29 appearances and has some happy memories to look back on. He added: “I scored some important goals, mostly headers. At one point they sang my name at Camp Nou at every corner or free-kick. You wouldn’t think it gets better than that. I am very proud of that.”

De Jong is now back in his homeland at PSV and is proving to be prolific at 33 years of age. He has hit 27 goals for the unbeaten Eredivisie leaders this season, with little energy being wasted on thoughts of what could have been for him at Camp Nou.