Jürgen Locadia

Jürgen Leonardo Locadia (born 7 November 1993) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a striker or winger for Bundesliga side 1899 Hoffenheim on loan from Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion.

Club career

Early career

Locadia, who is of Curaçaoan descent, was born in Emmen, Netherlands, and began playing football with the club VV Bargeres, before being discovered by the youth team of FC Emmen. When he was offered to play for Willem II, he and his whole family settled in Tilburg. In 2010, he moved on to PSV Eindhoven, and in 2012 at the age of 18 he was offered a professional contract.

PSV Eindhoven

Locadia during his official debut match for PSV

On 21 September 2011, Locadia made his first appearance for PSV in a KNVB Cup match against VVSB. He entered as a substitute for Tim Matavž in the 72nd minute. In the 80th minute, he scored PSV's sixth goal in the 8–0 win. Locadia made his first start for PSV in the following round against FC Lisse on 27 October 2011.

At the beginning of the 2012–13 season, Locadia was handed the shirt number 19 for the first team. He made his first appearance of the season as a starter in a KNVB Cup match against Achilles '29 on 27 September 2012. He scored the second goal in the 3–0 win over the third-tier team. On 30 September 2012, Locadia made his Eredivisie debut against VVV-Venlo. He entered the pitch in Venlo as a substitute in the 68th minute, and with only 22 minutes left in the game he managed to score three goals in the 6–0 win over VVV-Venlo. He became the first player to score a hat-trick in his Eredivisie debut since Harald Berg scored three goals in his debut game on 10 August 1969. A week after his debut hat-trick, Locadia was promoted to the first team and signed a new five-year contract with PSV which will keep him at the club until 2017.

On 27 February 2013, he scored three goals in a 3–0 win over PEC Zwolle in the KNVB Cup semi-final.

Locadia began the 2017–18 season for PSV in good form, scoring nine goals and assisting six in 15 league games, including four goals in a 7–1 victory against FC Utrecht. He played regularly until he sustained an injury on 11 December. .

Brighton & Hove Albion

On 18 January 2018, Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion agreed a reported £15 million total fee with PSV for the transfer of Locadia, with £10 million being paid upfront along with £5 million in add-ons. He signed a four-and-a-half-year contract with the Seagulls the next day, and was given the number 25 shirt. (He now wears the number 9 shirt). He reunites with former PSV teammate Davy Pröpper, who joined Brighton in the 2017 summer transfer window.

On 17 February 2018, Locadia scored on his Brighton debut in a 3–1 FA Cup fifth round win against Coventry City. He scored on his Premier League debut a week later on 24 February, netting from close range in the 90th minute of a 4–1 victory against Swansea City, after coming on as a second-half substitute.

Locadia scored his first goal of the season in a 1–0 win over Everton in which he played the whole match. On 17 March 2019, Locadia scored in the FA Cup quarter final away against Millwall. His goal gave Brighton a lifeline putting them just a goal behind at The Den. A few minutes later Solly March scored a last gasp free kick making it 2–2 and to take it to extra time. The game stayed level throughout extra time and Brighton went to win on penalties 5–4 (in which Locadia and March both scored in) to take them to Wembley.

1899 Hoffenheim (loan)

Having made two appearances for The Seagulls at the start of the 2019–20 season, on 29 August, Locadia signed for Bundesliga side Hoffenheim on a season-long loan. 2 days later he made his debut coming on as a substitute in a 0–0 away draw against Bayer 04 Leverkusen.

International career

Locadia received his first call-up to the senior Netherlands squad in November 2015. He was called up again in March 2016 for friendlies against France and England, however he had to pull out with an injury.

Career statistics

As of 28 September 2019

Honours

PSV

• Eredivisie: 2014–15, 2015–16
• KNVB Cup: 2011–12
• Johan Cruyff Shield: 2015, 2016

Musical career

Locadia is also known as a singer and has cited Diplo and Major Lazer as his influences. In June 2017, he released his debut singles, "Take Off" and "Epok".

EPs

Singles