Transfer Rumours V6

futbol wrote:First of all I don't think we're in trouble if Suarez gets injured. Actually it's a proven fact. He was injured in the title decider against Atletico away and we won. In fact he was not even available at the start of the season and all games were won with the likes of Munir and Sandro. First loss was on his debut against Madrid. Even if only 2 of "MSN" are available that's already more firepower than any other team in the world can offer bar maybe Real Madrid and Bayern. There is no depth issue in the frontline.

Bottom line: What is it that you are actually saying here? What talented youngstar or backup player would be able to mitigate the quality loss of injured Messi and/or Suarez but also sit on the bench 90 % of the time while they are fit? Because that's what's going to happen. Or do you think Messi is going to be part of a rotation system from now on? Suarez is a bit more easygoing when subbed but only a little. He's also throwing little tantrums. Like Neymar.

The Thiago example actually doesn't help your argument. With Xavi still at a good level, Iniesta in his prime + Fabregas and Thiago we had at least one too many midfielder. Pep made it work with a defensively unsustainable 3 man backline formation and nonsense like 3-7-0. It led to 0 tituli, Tito reverted back to 4-3-3 and Thiago left because he felt he didn't play enough. Top quality talent isn't willing to sit on the bench for too long. Even 35 year old Xavi prefers to play in the desert now rather than being a backup at Barca.

At Madrid it will also not work. They are buying hyped names randomly. Tell me more how Bale + Benzema + Ronaldo/Ronaldo's inevitable big money successor + James + Kroos + Isco + Kovacic + Asensio + Ödegaard will all have a future together. I haven't even named a single defensive midfielder yet.

We will buy when we need it. Don't need to stack and destroy talent in the hope that some will come good in a few years.

We are in trouble if Suarez gets injured.The Atletico game proves nothing. Game was almost a friendly. Atletico had already qualified for CL and they werent going to hand Madrid the title. If you want to talk about games against Atletico,lets talk about the 3 games which actually mattered. Suarez proving instrumental in us winning 3 in a row when we couldnt beat them in 6 attempts the season before.
We dont win squat without Suarez last season. I dont think we will win anything this season if Suarez is out injured for a significant length of time and the replacements arent up to scratch.

Squad depth is extremely important.Last season was an anomaly where a lot of things went our way.
Firstly we had no major injuries,which meant that we could play a full strength team in every important game.Not going to happen again.
We were also lucky that 2 all timers in Messi and Suarez decided to go into GOD mode together post January. And ofcourse the other all timer in Iniesta showed up in the important games.
Very remote chances of the same happening again.

Dont agree with your assessment of the squad either. You are being extremely optimistic if you really think Pique is going to be world class for the next 5 seasons. Last season was his first world class season in 3. In all probability,he will coast the next couple of seasons.
Why do you mention Alba being 26 as some kind of positive? I am talking about elite level talent here. Alba is not elite. So that is almost the entire backline which needs replacing with elite talent.
Rakitic and Busquets are excellent but who will replace them when one of them gets injured? Quality young talent is important for 2 reasons. To sub in when required without much of a drop in quality and to groom for the future.

alexjanosik wrote:Heard Read Madrid about to sign Kovacic.They are hoarding up talent in the early 20's age group.A worrying trend for us.

I have heard that too but what will they essentially do with Kovacic. Keep him on the bench as Modric's understudy and pretty much only when Modric gets injured will he see the pitch? I am not sure if this is the right move for him.

alexjanosik wrote:Quality young talent is important for 2 reasons. To sub in when required without much of a drop in quality and to groom for the future.

Let's revisit the stupidity of signing Fabregas and not selling him quickly enough so that Thiago had to leave instead.

futbol wrote:Barca fans are the most depressing in the world. Let's go position for position:

Forwards:

Neymar: 23, needs no replacing for 10 years. Everything cool.

Messi: just turned 28. Has AT LEAST 4 more seasons in him. Buying or developing any youngstar in his position is pointless when he won't miss a single game for the next 4 seasons at least. In 4 years he'll be only Ronaldo's current age who is still going strong.

Suarez: 28. Same argument as Messi. Pointless to try and develop or buy anyone for the future now. Maybe in 2 years it's time to think about it.

Midfield:

Busquets: 27. No need to worry for at least 5 more years.

Rakitic: 27. Same as Busquets. LOL @ "has never been really elite for us". Do you watch Barca, bruh? If only prime Xaviesta level is elite enough you'll wait a long time for "elite" midfielders.

Iniesta: 31. Needs replacing soon. If for example Pogba comes that's the midfield sorted for 5 years.

Defense:

Alba: 26. Needs no replacing soon (at least not because of age )

Pique: 28. Needs no replacing soon. Has 4 more seasons in him at least. Defenders can usually play even longer.

Mascherano: 31. Needs replacing soon.

Dani Alves: 32. Needs replacing soon.

GK:

MAtS: 23. No problems.
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So to sum up: Barca will need 1 midfielder, 1 rightback and 1 CB soon, preferably next season. If that's done the first XI is sorted for about 5 years. Everything else is depth issues. Hardly "Neymar + scrubs". Buying 21 year old unknown Serie zZZzzZ talent because of Fifa potential does nothing right now if they are going to watch Messi, Neymar, Suarez, Iniesta, Busquets, Rakitic, Pique from the bench week in week out for the next few seasons. Mehdrid randomly buying all hyped names doesn't prove anything for their future. They'll have more trouble once Ronaldo slows down and MSN still goes strong in 2 years than the other way around. If Kovacic becomes the next Illarra don't be surprised.

This forum.

I am not panicking on our starting 11 (which does have issues), I am panicking on our bench depth + the clubs ideas of what the club needs and our long term plan for the club (which at the moment seems to be nothing).

As mentioned before I have been very impressed with Madrid's summer transfers. You seem to think everyone they are buying is for today's squad when in reality they are buying those kids for the future not now (look at how long ago they got Casemiro and now he finally will get a shot on the bench). Knocked out Danilo very early on and since then have picked up a handful of youngsters with high potential, that if they don't turn out to be anything they will be able to sell for a solid price anyway. So these transfers make sense, ours don't. We paid 40M for Turan...you think we will ever get that back if we sell him? Not to mention he has a history of being injured and pretty much 30. Same goes for Mathieu and the 30M we paid for him or whatever it was. Had Mathieu been a youngster putting in those performances it wouldn't be so bad because he would of likely been cheaper than what Mahtieu cost us plus you can chalk it up as it's a kid still learning. Mathieu on the other hand is a finished product. So he closer to being on the decline, as oppose to being someone still learning and developing. Not to mention they got Otamendi and Mustafi for that price, 2 guys we could of definitely used over Mathieu. It's like the board looked at some wrinkled piece of toiler paper of possible transfer names Pep wrote down back in 2011 and they decided that these guys would fit our system today, and just ignored the price and any other options out there.

Lucho's vision of this Barca included shooting down Gundogan for Iborra and Turan, just on the basis that Iborra and Turan have La Liga experience LOL. Then turns around gets Turan to replace Xavi....I mean wtf. Also wants 30 year old Nolito to replace Pedro. I mean this guy is not giving a rats ass about the clubs future, he is handling the job like someone who might leave tomorrow so he doesn't care about the clubs long term plan. So lets say he leaves, whatever manager that comes in is going to have an aging squad that he left behind with a ton of holes. When Pep left YEARS ago, his same nucleolus has lasted until today because he gave youth a chance. And that youth has been our back bone since. I care about our club, and I also care about the time the youngsters have put in towards our club and I believe if they are showing the talent to play in the first team they should be given an opportunity, not sold to Aston Villa or Everton. Not only is our vision very short, but also the club is throwing away money they could be investing in more pressing areas (like the CB area....Masch is getting older, has never been a true CB and then you got Verm/Mathieu who aren't nothing to trust on). We have yet to sign a proper CB to partner with Pique since Puyol left in 2011...just think about how ridiculous that is.

Club should of sold Adriano, and promoted Grimaldo. So right there Grimaldo makes less than Adriano in wages, plus the 10M Roma was offering for Adriano and that's all profit. Plus Grimaldo could turn out to be another Bellerin, look how well he's doing at Arsenal. Not to mention had we held on to this guy we could of let Alves leave and he would of been our starter right now (but I understand Wenger tapped him up very young)

Sell one of Mathieu/Verm, we don't need both. Both are pretty much the same player and do the same thing (cb that can cover the left back). Buy a true CB (Otamendi is available, why not him)

I would even consider loaning out Ter Stegen to a team he can play every single game while Bravo gets Champions League/Liga games, and have Masip get the Copa games. That way Ter Stegen doesn't regress from the little PT he gets. This is something I would consider, not saying I would do it.

Right back is solid with Vidal and Alves. But we should look at options for when Alves eventually leaves, we must look to the future

Buy a true holding/creative mid now that Xavi is gone, and sell Brady Bunch (Sergi). Break the bank and bring in a proper player and promote Samper or loan him out to get PT to see how he does in La Liga as oppose to the third division. I agree on loaning out Halilovic, but again to let him get PT, if he turns out to be great then we should hold on to him but he needs to play. Would of never even considered Turan; too expensive and we honestly don't need him.

Would of kept one of Adama or Deulofeu to be the new Pedro (also have Munir and Sandro so between them we should be fine for back ups if Pedro leaves). Again, all this costs us nothing, and all make less wages than Pedro so we are saving money. At worse Adama/Deulofeu turn out to be another Tello level player, which isn't so bad.

Idk, I didn't give it much thought but that's pretty much an idea of how I thought the club would handle this transfer window. Long term I don't like this vision of Lucho and what Barca is. It doesn't help that the board seem to be completely clueless, which makes me feel even more uneasy.

futbol wrote:Barca fans are the most depressing in the world.

Lol, they are pretty bad all things considered but you don't even come close lol.

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:

futbol wrote:Barca fans are the most depressing in the world.

Lol, they are pretty bad all things considered but you don't even come close lol.

Agreed. Calling their coach 'Scrubrique' when he won the treble in his debut season is mild compared to your mindlessly ruthless treatment of Sir Pardiola

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:
Lol, they are pretty bad all things considered but you don't even come close lol.

mole, just what the hell is your signature about?

How awful is our bench currently smh

Rafinha, Bartra, Munir, Sandro, Roberto and Vermaelen

There was nobody who could be subbed to actually improve our play. Arda and Aleix are a start but they out for first 4 months...

one one will be used as a right back and the other averages like 3 goals a season

So it's not like we are going to have a scoring threat off the bench between those 2 either when in a jam

Yeah but at least they're top players unlike Sergi Roberto or Munir or whoever from that sorry ass bench

Chelsea offer 28+2M for Pedro (28), who is waiting in London for the clubs to seal the deal on his transfer to the English club. [rac1]

Chelsea coach Mourinho called Pedro after his team's defeat against Man City. Pedro said goodbye to Barcelona teammates yesterday. [rac1]

minutes ago!! my sides

"I have always liked Marco's playing style. He is a player who could fit in at Barcelona," Enrique said in April.

And the admiration is mutual as Verratti said: "Barcelona are one of the strongest clubs in the world and have been for a long time. It is always flattering for a player when such a big club is interested in you. It is up to the people at Barcelona to decide (how I would fit in). But it is true that I like their style."

Come home Marco

Verratti happening would be like Christmas arrived already

I hope we can do it next summer

Nolito (Celta): "There's a buyout fee, so if Barça want me, they should talk to Celta. There's nothing, but everything can change in a sec."

Pedro to Chelsea so Nolito is on again.

Nolito: "If it'd be about money, I wouldn't be at Celta anymore, because I've had offers. But Barça are Liga and CL winners." [radio marca]

Nolito (Celta): "I know that playing would be difficult at Barça, I'm realistic. But even with less minutes, being at Barça gives you a lot"

Stojadinovic (agent Halilovic): "We'll sign on friday. Can't do it earlier because I'm abroad and I can't travel until Friday." [cope]

Stojadinovic (agent Halilovic): "In principal the loan to Sporting is a done deal. The player decided and we informed Sporting." [cope]

So long Pedro. Can't say I didn't ask for this, but I am slightly concerned about bench options.

Fact of the matter, though, is that the greatest argument for keeping Pedro is that he was a decent option willing to accept a bench role. If he wants playing time I don't see the point in keeping him. I hope he revalues himself at Chelsea.

So with Pedro, Adama and Halilovic gone, what ARE your attacking bench options?

El Haddadi and Sandro?

Oh I forgot, guess Turan was meant as a Pedro replacement

He's not allowed to play though.

BarrileteCosmico wrote:So long Pedro. Can't say I didn't ask for this, but I am slightly concerned about bench options.

Fact of the matter, though, is that the greatest argument for keeping Pedro is that he was a decent option willing to accept a bench role. If he wants playing time I don't see the point in keeping him. I hope he revalues himself at Chelsea.

People keep saying "Pedro was willing to sit on the bench" when actually he wants to leave because, in fact, he doesn't want to sit on the bench. I don't get it.

Also Pedro sux. What did he do last game except whiffing a shot opportunity and playing Aduriz through on goal with a horrible back pass? Rather give Sandro playing time.

Hapless_Hans wrote:So with Pedro, Adama and Halilovic gone, what ARE your attacking bench options?

El Haddadi and Sandro?

Oh I forgot, guess Turan was meant as a Pedro replacement

He's not allowed to play though.

Yeah and Rafinha

And Aleix Vidal but he's not allowed to play as well

futbol wrote:People keep saying "Pedro was willing to sit on the bench" when actually he wants to leave because, in fact, he doesn't want to sit on the bench. I don't get it.

He never complained until this summer, what's so hard to figure out?

He sat on the bench for 1 season and asked to leave. Why do ppl keep saying "he's a good option off the bench who never complains" then?

where did halilovic end up going? im guessing its on loan?

Anyway our bench is now fkked until the bann is lifited... Hopefully Sandro can cover and prove to be a valuable asset.

If barca end up buying nolito after selling pedro.........................................

Good luck to Pedro, he has dedicated his life to the club. Wish him all the best for his services to our badge.

Also f this club if they purchase Nolito.

Goal Keepers
Marc-André ter Stegen
Claudio Bravo
Jordi Masip
Defenders
Daniel Alves
Gerard Piqué
Javier Mascherano : Captain (4)
Jordi Alba
Jérémy Mathieu
Marc Bartra
Adriano
Thomas Vermaelen
Douglas
Midfield
Andrés Iniesta : Captain (1)
Sergio Busquets : Captain (3)
Ivan Rakitić
Rafinha
Sergi Roberto
Forwards
Lionel Messi : Captain (2)
Luis Suárez
Neymar
Munir : Promoted from FC Barcelona B
Sandro : Promoted from FC Barcelona B

Out on Loan until June 30, 2016
Denis Suárez (Sevilla), Cristian Tello (Porto), Martín Montoya (Inter Milan), Alen Halilović (Sporting Gijón)

Available January 2016
Aleix Vidal (Arrived from Sevilla), Arda Turan (Arrived from Atletico Madrid)

Departed FC Barcelona
Xavi Hernandez (Al-Sadd SC), Gerard Deulofeu (Everton), Ibrahim Afellay (Stoke), Alex Song (West Ham), Pedro (Chelsea)

Departed FC Barcelona B
Patric (Lazio), Joan Román (Braga), Adama Traoré (Aston Villa), Moha (Stoke), Lucas Gafarot (UE Cornellá), Agostinho Cá (Lleida), Diagné (AS Eupen), Amir Natkho (CSKA Moscow)

No doubt that midfield and attack look really really thin after your first 11. With Lurcho's GOAT fitness training and your impeccable medical department that's not a problem though.

Hapless_Hans wrote:No doubt that midfield and attack look really really thin after your first 11. With Lurcho's GOAT fitness training and your impeccable medical department that's not a problem though.

Bitte geh.