After finishing 5th, their best Premier League end-of-season position in 8 years, Newcastle aren’t setteling for the squad they have, looking to bring in young Dutch striker, Luuk de Jong, Twente’s leading scorer in 2011-2012.
The 21 year old De Jong is one of the brightest talents in Dutch football but he didn’t get a chance to play in Euro 2012, spending the entire 270 minutes that the Netherlands had in the tournament sitting on the bench. He had somewhat of a breakout season in 2011-2012, scoring 25 goals for Twente, as the fell short of the multiple team title run, finishing at sixth.
Like his brother, Siem de Jong who plays for Ajax, Luuk has been the target of quite a few big offers, mostly from Premier League clubs. Newcastle are the latest to openly show an interest in him, having their £8 million offer for him rejected by the club. Twente, according to reports, are holding out for an offer in the region of £12 million.
As to where De Jong might want to go, his agent offers just a bit of clarity. Newcastle, apparantly, are one of the team’s he would like to play for, unlike some other clubs who have already pitched the idea to the club and his agent. Maybe they’re small time, or maybe he doesn’t have a certain league in mind.
It is not up to us at this moment. It is up to those clubs to show an interest and agree a financial deal with Twente. They are not the only club that has shown an interest, there has been a lot of clubs from all over Europe. More than five or six – but that is normal for a player who has scored 25 goals in the Eredivisie and is in the national side.
Liverpool are probably the biggest name linked to a move regarding signing De Jong, but there’s been no official word about the club trying to sign the dutch striker.
It has got to be the right club for Luuk, and a club that Luuk likes. He has already rejected several clubs who are interested because they are not the right move. I can confirm that Newcastle are not one of the clubs that he has rejected.
Newcastle, who will participate in the Europa League next season, their first taste of continental football since the 2006-2007 season, have already made one signing this summer – Romain Amalfitano, a 22 year old French midfielder who has helped Reims gain promotion to Ligue 1 last season.