http://www.goal.com/en/news/10/italy/2012/03/27/2994986/jordi-albas-agent-confirms-contact-with-ac-milan

The agent of Valencia's Jordi Alba has revealed that AC Milan are interested in luring the Spain international to San Siro in the summer.


The Rossoneri are looking for a new full-back as Taye Taiwo, Luca Antonini and Djamel Mesbah have all failed to impress on the left hand side this season, and Milan evidently see Alba as an ideal addition to the squad.

"It's true, I can confirm that there has been contact with Milan," agent Vicente Fores was quoted as saying by Calciomercato.com.

"It has only been brief informal contact so far, but we will meet with [sporting director Ariedo] Braida within the next 20 days or so," agent Vicente Fores was quoted as saying by Calciomercato.com.

Alba is a product of the Barcelona youth academy, but rose to prominence at Valencia. The Catalans are allegedly keen to re-sign the left-sided player though, and are believed to be sitting in pole position in the race for Alba's signature.

Fores revealed last week that Napoli are also hot on the trail of the 23-year-old. The defender has a contract with Valencia that runs until June 2013.

GTFO he's ours

Although he would be a good signing for Milan's LB problems.

yeees, bidding war, dance my pretties

Can we pull out?

Get in there Milan, please.

I wonder how much will he be for.

He's gonna go to Barca, the pull they have with former youth players is just too strong, plus we need a player like him.

I really like Alba FWIW, the more you watch him the more you appreciate the player he has turned into.

We need another midget who has no ability in the air?

The formula has worked out pretty well don't you think?

Not when everybody on the pitch is one.

Abidal, the 2 CB's and Busquets are the only guys who can be counted on the air.

Wouldnt want that number to drop to 3.

Plus we need defenders who can fit into our system and not take a year to assimilate to how we play and he is that.

And we also need players we can get in the market who don't mind not playing every game and I think he has enough respect for Barca to not throw a fit when he's not starting/playing.

What other fullbacks have we had that take a year to get our system?

Fullback for us isnt that complicated a role.

Dont you have some illegal pre contract agreement with Alba already? barca like pre contracts

Apparently......


I hope not.

Adriano looks two times the player he was in his first year the second year he was in our system.

Other then that there really isn't that much movement back there because we shuffle around our starters to cover for injuries because Pep likes people who are used to the system which is pretty much my whole point.

I guess the only other player you could use as an example is Maxwell and I never liked him very much in his first or second season.

I mean it's pretty obvious and Pep has even spoken to the fact that it takes about a year to assimilate to the system if you don't come from Barca's system. There are countless examples all over the pitch.

I mean I really don't know how you could argue this as it's pretty much a fact. If you want to say Alba's small so you don't like him, OK that's your opinion. I don't share it but I can understand it. But to argue that it doesn't take a while to adjust to our system then I really don't understand where your getting that from.

Not really.

A leftback he has been more or less than same.

The only negative last season was when he played rightback, this season he hasnt and we rarely see those bad performances. Dont think its anything to do with system.

No point talking about systems and the difficulties with it, only fullback is relevant here.

As I said, there is no previous evidence of any fullback, Maxwell, Adriano, Alves...taking a year to get it.

Fullback for us is simple. High and wide on build up, overlap when on that flank (gradually creep up when on the opposite), keep the ball, minimal touches ect.

I dont see how Alba is in a more advanced position to do these things then lets say....Filepe Luis...

The second year improvement myth comes back, this time with full backs.

I like Alba and he can come cheap, but especially now that Abidal will be gone, we need a bigger LB. We should have gone for Clichy last year, IMO a potential WC left back that would thrive in our system.

Ps. I agree with Dani that fullbacks have an easy job to adapt. Van Bronckhorst, Belletti, Sylvihno, Maxwell, Adriano, Alves, Zambrotta... all got it fast. Only one who clearly improved in his second season was Abi.

Clichy has no Technique though. He just runs and runs. He's very quick too I'll give him that but I think to be at Barca a player must have a certain degree of Technique.

Alba has been one of the best left backs in the league, though, and ideally, he is the best fit for Barcelona, at the moment. You talk about Filipe Luis, but he has been on the decline (ironically since Barcelona were interested in his services). Alba has everything to become a great player for Barcelona. And it's not as easy as some make it sound.

I mean I really don't know how you can't see that Adriano has been MUCH better after his first year with the team. I mean IMO it's not even remotely debatable.

When healthy he has been a rock for us and he was so far from that his first year.

If you want to put it to switching positions then go ahead but he wasn't nearly the player he is for us in any position he was playing especially if you compare his performances at leftback from his first year to this year. I mean the difference is pretty huge.

I don't even flinch when he's in the lineup now and in his first year he stuggled both going forward and defending. He struggled a lot going forward in his first year wasting possession and not being able to pick out the correct passes in the final third plus he just wasn't in sync with the back line either.

Again it is very noticeable and IMO isn't debatable what so ever.

I mean Pep is always very adamant about wanting players who have played in the Barcelona system before and he doesn't say except for fullbacks. He has said time and again how difficult it is to adjust to the system if you have never played in it before but if you don't believe Pep then I don't know what other points to bring up.

free_cat wrote:The second year improvement myth comes back, this time with full backs.

I like Alba and he can come cheap, but especially now that Abidal will be gone, we need a bigger LB. We should have gone for Clichy last year, IMO a potential WC left back that would thrive in our system.

Ps. I agree with Dani that fullbacks have an easy job to adapt. Van Bronckhorst, Belletti, Sylvihno, Maxwell, Adriano, Alves, Zambrotta... all got it fast. Only one who clearly improved in his second season was Abi.

Almost every single one of those players did not play in Pep's system. I mean bringing up Belletti and Van Bronckhorst??? Again Adriano is night and day from his first year in the system.

Maxwell was never really any good in the system and made a habit of pretty much getting torched by anyone with pace.

Alves is a different story and comparing him the Alba is just not right. Alves is a world class player, you can put him in any system and he will be outstanding. But again, IMO from year one to year two he was a much better defender it's just not as obvious because he is usually outstanding. In fact in year two he was arguably our best player that season.

They dont need a lb. Antonini, Mesbah, Zambrotta, etc...

Barca are stupid if they Buy Alba, no team has ever succeded with a 4 man backline with 2 attacking fullbacks every top team had one fullback that playmakes and one that destroys.

Barca's LB choice should bring them to buying an athletic type who is strong in defence and decent technically like Abidal.

They could do alot worse than Felipe Luis.

Oh and Chaval they do, Zambrotta is at his end, Mesbah is crap as is Antonini.

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:Barca are stupid if they Buy Alba, no team has ever succeded with a 4 man backline with 2 attacking fullbacks every top team had one fullback that playmakes and one that destroys.

Barca's LB choice should bring them to buying an athletic type who is strong in defence and decent technically like Abidal.

They could do alot worse than Felipe Luis.

Oh and Chaval they do, Zambrotta is at his end, Mesbah is crap as is Antonini.

lol @ this.

If you find it so funny, give me an example of what team and i mean CL winning teams had fullbacks as attacking as Alves and Alba in a 4 man defense?

There has to be a balance, every top team has one defensively minded fullback and one attacking fullback......

dnmac4 wrote:I mean I really don't know how you can't see that Adriano has been MUCH better after his first year with the team. I mean IMO it's not even remotely debatable.

When healthy he has been a rock for us and he was so far from that his first year.

If you want to put it to switching positions then go ahead but he wasn't nearly the player he is for us in any position he was playing especially if you compare his performances at leftback from his first year to this year. I mean the difference is pretty huge.

I don't even flinch when he's in the lineup now and in his first year he stuggled both going forward and defending. He struggled a lot going forward in his first year wasting possession and not being able to pick out the correct passes in the final third plus he just wasn't in sync with the back line either.

Again it is very noticeable and IMO isn't debatable what so ever.

I mean Pep is always very adamant about wanting players who have played in the Barcelona system before and he doesn't say except for fullbacks. He has said time and again how difficult it is to adjust to the system if you have never played in it before but if you don't believe Pep then I don't know what other points to bring up.

It's you that are completely wrong mate. Do you recall that Abidal had a tumor operation and Adriano had to play 2 months as left back? He was very good in those two months and we barely missed him. In fact, that spell has been his best time at Barcelona, not surpassed at all for his contribution this season. Thus Adriano 2010/11 > Adriano 2011/12 so far.