Sport : Football

McCLAREN BACKS LUUK DE JONG

6th May 2012, 01:12pm

Luuk de Jong: Star for FC Twente

Luuk de Jong: Star for FC Twente

FC Twente head coach Steve McClaren claims rising Dutch star Luuk de Jong is perfectly suited to the Premier League.

And with the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Newcastle United and Tottenham all reportedly eyeing the 21-year-old, it will be hard for McClaren, who rates De Jong as one of the best talents he was worked with, to keep his prized asset.

The Holland international has scored 32 goals this season and an equally impressive 62 goals in the last two seasons for his club.

However, the club's hierarchy have warned suitors they will not consider selling their young striker for anything less than £12.5million.

Former England boss McClaren said: "Luuk is an 'English style' striker, made for English football. I am just desperate to keep him one more year in Holland. But I realise that will be difficult.

"Luuk is big, strong, brilliant in the air and scores goals so easily. He has every quality a top class striker needs to have for a big club."

Meanwhile, Twente president Joop Munsterman admits it will be hard for the Eredivise club to keep the forward and has admitted the player wants to move to England.

Munsterman said: "We want to keep Luuk. He is a vital player if we want to win the championship again next season and when we play in Europe.

"We have said that we won't go lower than £12.5m as a transfer fee. We need a top price for a top player."

Former Dutch international Patrick Kluivert, McClaren's No.2 at FC Twente, added: "Luuk is going to be the number one striker for Holland in the very near future.

"He has everything a striker needs.

"Here at FC Twente we are grooming him for a future with one of Europe's biggest clubs.

"He can become a European giant."

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