Ronald Koeman looks ahead to the upcoming season in an interview on the Barcelona YouTube channel. The coach of the Catalans is happy to be able to work with Memphis Depay again. In addition, Koeman is very satisfied with the development of Frenkie de Jong in the midfield of Barcelona. The the Dutch internationals regularly scored in the second half of last season and his trainer hopes that that line will be continued.
“I still know Memphis from the national team of the Netherlands”, Koeman opens his analysis about the attacker from Olympique Lyon. “He did well to exchange Manchester United for Lyon (in 2017, ed.). He has also become captain there. But Barcelona is not the same as Lyon, the expectations are a lot higher here. Memphis has a good age, he is now 27. I can use him in different positions in the front line. He scores goals and allows other players to score. His arrival has also increased the competition in attack.” Koeman gives to Depay.
Koeman also sheds light on De Jong, who was used in a more attacking role at Barcelona in the last months of the past football season. “Frenkie just has to continue in this way”, said the satisfied coach in Spanish service. “In his second season here he has made great strides and has gotten a lot better offensively. Like all the other midfielders at Barcelona, he has to score between three and six goals this season.” De Jong scored 7 goals and 8 assists in 51 matches in all competitions on behalf of Barcelona in the 2020/21 season.
It is no surprise to Koeman that Spanish national coach Luis Enrique has already compared the only eighteen-year-old Pedri with Barcelona icon Andrés Iniesta. “Pedri has had a great first season. Not everyone knew him last year. But as an 18-year-old he showed very quickly that he is good enough for Barcelona. The way he developed last season is really incredible. He also played very well for Spain at the European Championship, it was also clearly visible there what an enormous talent Pedri actually is. He is really the future of this club, I have no doubt about that,” said the hopeful Koeman.
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