Following his goal in PSV’s Champions League clash with Tottenham last night, Harry Redknapp believes Newcastle were wrong not to sign Luuk De Jong permanently back in 2014 – proving how little he must’ve watched the striker during his loan spell at the club!
To say the Dutchman is prolific in Holland is an understatement – with him managing 90 goals and 50 assists in 176 games at PSV since he left Newcastle in 2014 – but the striker never looked cut out for English football.
The 28-year-old arrived on loan from German side Borussia Monchengladbach in the final few days of the 2014 January window, but his time on Tyneside was forgettable to say the least – with him failing to find the net in twelve games.
His PSV side played Tottenham in last night’s Champions League group stages and scored a late equaliser – and Redknapp claimed after the game (during a punditry appearance for BT Sport) that we were wrong to let him go:
“He’s a good player this De Jong.
“Newcastle should have kept him.”
His record in Holland may be incredible, but it’s fair to say Harry’s comments prove that he didn’t watch him during his time at Newcastle. Why on earth would you keep a striker that didn’t score a single goal?
He lacked any desirable physical traits often needed to play in the Premier League and didn’t manage a single goal for us – with him looking like the definition of a player who’ll do it in the Eredivisie, but struggle in England.
Like Doumbia, Ferreyra and Slimani, he was another January loan signing who made absolutely no impact at the club, and I think it’s fair to say no NUFC fan would’ve wanted us to sign him permanently at the end of that 2013/14 season!
