“Luuk de Jong is a fantastic professional,” said Xavi a week ago after he scored against Mallorca. He was the unexpected hero in a game Barcelona played with 16 players out. The forward, on loan from Sevilla, is still adapting and progressing at the club. Against Granada he did it again with a nice header and showed he can pick himself up from adverse situations.

His first months at Barcelona were hard. He arrived to laughter, at the petition of Ronald Koeman with Griezmann leaving. He did not make fans excited. Xavi’s arrival made it look like he would be out of the club sooner rather than later. However, with the injuries, he got his chance and he has been taking advantage of it.

Two goals in two games, to earn four points, and the overhead kick against the bar against Mallorca and goal ruled out for offside against Granada show his form has improved. 

Xavi and Barcelona see it as a good thing if he stays now, especially as Alvaro Morata’s arrival looks harder. It could come down to needing to get him off the books though to help register Ferran Torres, if Umtiti or Yusuf Demir do not leave.

“Luuk has helped us a lot, we’ll see what happens with Ferran being registered, but I’m very happy with him,” said Xavi. Let’s see what happens…