AMSTERDAM - lr Marten de Roon of Atalanta Bergamo during the UEFA Champions League match between Ajax Amsterdam and Atalanta Bergamo at the Johan Cruijff Arena on December 09, 2020 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. ANP MAURICE VAN STEEN UEFA Champions League Group D 2020/2021 xVIxANPxSportx/xxANPxIVx *** AMSTERDAM lr Marten de Roon of Atalanta Bergamo during the UEFA Champions League match between Ajax Amsterdam and Atalanta Bergamo at the Johan Cruijff Arena on December 09, 2020 in Amsterdam, Netherlands ANP MAURICE VAN STEEN UEFA Champions League Group D 2020 2021 xVIxANPxSportx xxANPxIVx 426033239
According to HITC (h/t Yorkshire Evening Post), Marten de Roon has been linked with a move to Barcelona. With the Dutchman’s contract set to expire in the summer and a possible link-up with Ronald Koeman, a transfer has been mooted to take place.
Marten de Roon shot to prominence with Sparta Rotterdam in the Dutch second-tier before making his mark in the Eredivisie with Heerenveen. The defensive midfielder joined Atalanta in 2015 after making more than 100 appearances for Heerenveen across all competitions.
Despite enjoying a successful debut season in Italy, the 29-year-old made the move to newly-promoted Premier League club Middlesbrough in 2016. De Roon featured 33 times in the Premier League for the Teessiders, scoring 4 goals, but couldn’t save them from relegation to the Championship.
De Roon rejoined Atalanta in 2017 following Boro’s relegation and went on to play a key role as Gian Piero Gasperini’s side finished a record 3rd in the 2018-19 Serie A and secured qualification to the Champions League.
The Dutchman was one of the cornerstones of Atalanta’s march to the quarter-final of Europe’s elite club competition last season. A full international for the Netherlands since 2016, De Roon has earned 15 caps for his nation and has featured in both editions of the UEFA Nations League so far.
It does not take a genius to see that Barcelona are in the midst of one the biggest crises the club has seen, from a sporting, administrative and financial side. Their best, and also the world’s best player, Lionel Messi was ready to walk out of the club in the summer but eventually postponed those plans. The club are failing to get results on the pitch and off it.
As the clubs somehow try to steer through this, funds have been hard to find to secure transfer targets. They are yet to sign the likes of Eric Garcia and Memphis Depay. With both players becoming free agents at the end of the season, the Blaugrana are waiting to sign them for free.
Marten de Roon, to that end, would be a smart addition to Barcelona’s midfield ranks. The Dutchman’s English sojourn ended disastrously with Middlesbrough’s relegation back in 2017 but it’s imperative to say that he was one of the standout performers despite his club’s struggles in the top-flight.
He has accumulated more than 380 club career appearances over the course of his top-flight career in Holland, Italy, and England while also establishing himself as a regular starter at the international level in recent years.
The defensive midfielder also proved his credentials in the Champions League last season, suggesting that he is ready to embrace a bigger challenge at a heavyweight club like Barcelona. With Busquets showing signs of decline on a rapid basis, signing de Roon can ease Koeman’s issue there.
The imminent availability of Marten de Roon on a free transfer next summer presents an excellent market opportunity for Barcelona to strengthen their defensive midfield ranks without having to spend a fortune.
De Roon still has a lot to offer despite nearing 30 and Barcelona could land themselves a massive bargain if they manage to bring him to Camp Nou on a free transfer.