MueezAjao
– Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman has admitted that the hectic business carried out by the club on deadline day was “a b*tch”.
– Owing to their crippling levels of debt, the Blaugrana spent the majority of their transfer window attempting to lower their wage bill.
– The cost-cutting exercise continued through to deadline day, with Antoine Griezmann departing the club and Luuk de Jong being brought in at the last minute.
– With moves for Griezmann and De Jong having gone to the wire in terms of when the paperwork was filed, Koeman told Sport: “The aggravation we had on the last day, with practically no time to find a solution, it was a b*tch.
– “Griezmann had a great contract and if he left it was going to help improve the financial situation of the club. That’s why I agreed to his departure.”
– The addition of De Jong, a classic number nine far from in keeping with the type of mobile striker Barca would normally sign, appeared to many as something of a panic move. Koeman, however, insists that is not the case.
– “I had already spoken to [De Jong] in early August about the possibility of signing him,” the Dutchman said. “I wanted a forward different from what I had and I thought of him because I know him very well.
– “In fact, I was wondering how it was possible that Barca never had a forward like Luuk. He is going to give us something different, especially with his aerial game and in set-pieces. With him, we can play a more direct style. I’m very happy with his signing.”
– “I know [Ansu Fati] very well and I know what he can give us,” Koeman said of Barca’s new No.10. “But we don’t want to rush him, he has been standing still for a long time. There is still much to do – the same goes for Coutinho
– “I’m 100 per cent convinced that Coutinho has the talent to succeed at Barca, I like him a lot. The last injury he had was a strong blow for him and he has to recover well both physically and mentally to come back stronger than ever.
– “[Ousmane] Dembele is a very, very good player if he is physically well. He is great in one-v-ones, has a lot of speed and can play on both wings. He will be vital for us when he recovers and I hope that he renews his contract.”
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