Ajax sensation Frenkie de Jong impressed for Barcelona in the pre-season game against Chelsea, and could be a key player next season.
The 22-year-old signed for the Catalan club back in January, and the fans have been patiently waiting to see what he is capable of.
De Jong became the 20th player from the Netherlands to move to Camp Nou in the club’s 119-year-old rich history.
Let’s look at the top three Dutch players who have previously donned the famous Blaugrana shirt.
Johan Cruyff
Johan Cruyff’s transfer to Barcelona will go down as the single most significant moment in football history as the effects of that transfer continue to impact the footballing world till this day.
Cruyff made the move from Ajax to Barcelona in the summer of 1973 in a deal worth €2 million; quite a lot of money back then.
He made 139 appearances and scored 47 goals for the Catalan club in an era where the Spanish top-flight was dominated by arch-rivals Real Madrid.
The Dutchman delivered the La Liga title in his debut season as the Blaugrana painted themselves in domestic glory after a barren run of 13 years.
Cruyff also won the European player of the year in 1974 and lifted the Spanish cup in his ultimate season before moving to Los Angeles Aztecs in 1978.
Ronald Koeman
The current Netherlands manager was an integral part of the Cruyff Dream team at Barcelona that left the fans in awe with their ‘Juego de Posicion’ style of play.
Koeman, who featured as a sweeper defender, scored one of the most important goals in the Barcelona history when the Blaugrana lifted their first Champions League in 1992.
The right-footed player, who arrived from PSV Eindhoven for €5.67 million, featured in 192 games and scored 67 goals for the club. He also lifted 10 trophies including 4 league titles in his 6 years stay at Camp Nou.
Koeman finished the 1993-94 seasons as the top-scorer before leaving the club for Feyenoord in 1995.
Patrick Kluivert
The most recent of the three, Kluivert arrived at Barcelona from AC Milan in 1998 in a deal worth €20 million.
He made a total of 182 appearances for the Spanish giants and scored 89 goals in his six seasons at the Camp Nou.
The right-footed centre-forward lifted his only league title in the debut season and left the club for Newcastle United on a free transfer in 2004.
