Barcelona Transfer News Roundup: Joan Laporta tried to sign Neymar, Sergio Aguero openly criticizes Barca training sessions and more - 6 September 2021
Barcelona have had a rather disappointing summer transfer window. They have had to part ways with both Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann, among many other players. They've come out on the other side of the window weaker than they were going into it. The Barcelona board is now focusing on future deals.
Luuk de Jong discusses what he brings to Barcelona
Barcelona signed 31-year-old striker Luuk de Jong from Sevilla on loan on deadline day. Fans are still divided over the deal since Luuk de Jong was in abysmal form for the Andalusians last term. He managed to score just nine goals from 48 appearances across all competitions in the 2020-21 season.
De Jong has now discussed what he believes he brings to Barcelona. In an interview with the club's website, he said:
“I am tall, I am a good header of the ball. As I already said before, I am a player with a different skillset.
“Koeman knows that he can use me in the final minutes when he needs a player that’s tall and good with his head. That’s the kind of player I am. As I showed in Sevilla, I also have other aspects to my game.”
Sergio Aguero talks about difference in training sessions at Barcelona and Manchester City
Sergio Aguero's move to Barcelona has got off to an awkward start. His close friend and Barcelona legend Lionel Messi left the club a month after Aguero joined. The former Manchester City striker is also currently sidelined with an injury that he picked up in pre-season.
Aguero has reportedly been putting in sessions in the gym to expedite his recovery. But in an interview with Twitch streamer Ibai Llanos, Aguero discussed being surprised by Barcelona's lackadaisical approach to training. He said:
"At [Manchester] City we arrived an hour and a half before training and here half an hour before. I said, well, I’ll come in at least an hour before and try and go to the gym or do some things, but nobody was there, it was all shut, dammit."
Joan Laporta tried to sign Neymar at Barcelona
Joan Laporta's first summer transfer window since being appointed as Barcelona president did not go according to plan. According to RAC1 (via Sport), Laporta even had plans to bring Neymar back to the Camp Nou.
Laporta reportedly sent two people to Paris to talk to Neymar. The story gets even more interesting from here. Neymar reportedly told them that he is desperate to return to Barcelona and play alongside Messi.
Paris Saint-Germain then came to know about this and reportedly sent €20 million to Neymar's father's bank account. That was the end of that 'transfer saga'.
The report further adds that the money wired to Neymar's father did not come from any of PSG's bank accounts.