Luuk de Jong, in particular, will be licking his lips at the prospect of Borna Sosa putting pen to paper with Barcelona in the summer transfer window.
The 31-year-old Dutchman is facing an uncertain future at the Camp Nou, with his loan deal from Sevilla expiring in July.
But if De Jong earns a permanent contract – he admitted earlier this week that he would jump at the chance to stay for another season and Sunday’s stoppage-time winner at Levante would have done his hopes no harm at all – a towering centre-forward who’s scored five of seven goals this season with his head could strike up a rather potent partnership with arguably the best crosser of ball in European football.
“Borna (Sosa) has said himself that David Beckham is his role model, and I think he has the same qualities,” Stuttgart director Sven Mislintat says of a man who was scouted by Barcelona last weekend.
“He puts in crosses from every angle. Sometimes chipped, sometimes drilled, sometimes flat, sometimes in behind, sometimes to the front post, other times to the back post. His left foot is a real weapon.”
A weapon that, should he put pen to paper with Barcelona, would strike fear into the hearts of La Liga defenders.
De Jong might not be the ‘typical’ Barca centre-forward – a towering targetman almost totally at odds with the club’s principles – but few at the Camp Nou will be complaining if Sosa provides the former Newcastle loanee with the sort of service he’s given 6ft 7ins Sasa Kalajdzic at Stuttgart.
Borna bound for Barcelona?
Sosa has made no secret of his desire to play in the Premier League at some point in the near future. Arsenal, Tottenham and Aston Villa have been linked while Leeds United made ‘an offer’ in the summer of 2021.
“The most important thing for him is to make a transfer to England. He has an offer from Leeds United. Some other clubs from the Premier League are also keen,” Sosa’s agent, Franjo Vranjkovic, said at the time.
According to Kicker, Stuttgart won’t stand in Sosa’s way this time around. Receive a bid in the region of £21 million and the Croatia international will be free to leave.
Leeds, however, are stuck with Junior Firpo. A man who’s provided fewer assists in his entire career (10) than Sosa has since the start of last season (16).
Of course, Leeds could still renew their interest. Jesse Marsch will know all about Sosa after all. He came up against the 24-year-old in the Bundesliga while the coach of RB Leipzig.
But, with Firpo on board and Barcelona making a move, the feeling is that this particular ship may have sailed.
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