The Netherlands manager Frank de Boer hopes Memphis Depay's transfer to Barcelona will benefit his team for the remainder of Euro 2020.
Depay, 27, completed a move to Barca on Saturday, signing a two-year deal following his exit from Lyon on a free transfer. The Dutch forward was expected to join the Catalans last summer on deadline day, but the deal was not completed in time.
"Maybe the transfer to Barcelona will give him something extra to help him perform at his best," De Boer said before the team's final Euro 2020 Group C game against North Macedonia in Amsterdam on Sunday.
"We need Memphis at his best to go as far as we want in this tournament but we have confidence in him and he is a confident player."
Depay, who scored 20 goals in Ligue 1 for Lyon in the season just finished, converted a penalty in the Netherlands' 2-0 win over Austria on Thursday in front of watching Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman.
But the former Manchester United forward has come in for some criticism from some Dutch fans and media for failing to take other chances.
"I think Memphis is his first critic and I'm sure the criticism doesn't affect him," De Boer said. "He knows if he played well or not so let's hope for the Netherlands that he can reach the level that we have in mind."
The Netherlands have already secured qualification to the last-16 stage as group winners after beating both Ukraine and Austria in their first major tournament since the 2014 World Cup.
"When we are doing well we can beat anybody. Hopefully we can grow into the tournament and we still have some better performances to come," said De Boer, whose team will play in Budapest in the first knockout round against one of the best third-placed sides on June 27.
Victory there would set up a quarter-final in Baku against the runners-up from either Group A or B.
"We know our path to the final and to get to the final you have to win every game, so I don't really care who we play next," De Boer said. "We have no influence on it."
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Manchester City 1 Chelsea 0
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Tips on buying property during a pandemic
Islay Robinson, group chief executive of mortgage broker Enness Global, offers his advice on buying property in today's market.
While many have been quick to call a market collapse, this simply isn’t what we’re seeing on the ground. Many pockets of the global property market, including London and the UAE, continue to be compelling locations to invest in real estate.
While an air of uncertainty remains, the outlook is far better than anyone could have predicted. However, it is still important to consider the wider threat posed by Covid-19 when buying bricks and mortar.
Anything with outside space, gardens and private entrances is a must and these property features will see your investment keep its value should the pandemic drag on. In contrast, flats and particularly high-rise developments are falling in popularity and investors should avoid them at all costs.
Attractive investment property can be hard to find amid strong demand and heightened buyer activity. When you do find one, be prepared to move hard and fast to secure it. If you have your finances in order, this shouldn’t be an issue.
Lenders continue to lend and rates remain at an all-time low, so utilise this. There is no point in tying up cash when you can keep this liquidity to maximise other opportunities.
Keep your head and, as always when investing, take the long-term view. External factors such as coronavirus or Brexit will present challenges in the short-term, but the long-term outlook remains strong.
Finally, keep an eye on your currency. Whenever currency fluctuations favour foreign buyers, you can bet that demand will increase, as they act to secure what is essentially a discounted property.
