Maybe, but my impression is that he is extremely negative to anyone who isnt a superstar from some rich club. If an opportunity arises and we get the chance to sign some superstar from a rich club at a very good price, of course we should take it. We should never be fixed in our ways and always do one thing. But to just dismiss any player who is young and use counterarguments about some young flops we have signed isnt really relevant at all. Did he want us to sign Neymar? Umtiti? Nelsinho? Or were they dismissed using the same arguments he is using now?
Again, I would buy 2-3 youngsters this summer, like Marlon, Mina, or random talents for 10-20 Millions.
And maybe one crazy talent for 50+ Millions.
But imo, buying Lemar, who is just a talent, from a French league, without zero experience in bigger leagues, NT teams or CL level, for 120M is beyond crazy and risky.
For example:
Lemar, young and a huge risk: 120M
Griezmann, maybe a top5 player in the world: 100M.
If Lemar turns out to be good, we can have him for 10 years, BUT you will wait for him at least 2 years to start to play good.
So, if he flops: he will never be good at Barca.
If he turns out to be good, he will be good from his 3rd season here.
Griezz: he can offer 4+ world class years, RIGHT AWAY.
But, people are always obssessed with: "we can have him for 10 years" part.
As DonAk said, I could "survive" with BOTH Griezz and Dembele/Lemar.
But, it would be suicidal to sign ONLY Lemar, Goretzka, Dembele etc and no one from Coutinho, Griezmann etc.
Also, the context is important.
Once when Messi will be gone, I would be more open to risks with young players, since we'll suck either way, so why not try to snatch some youngsters for the future.
So, in my eyes: summer 2017 or 2018 is NOT a moment to buy 2-3 Lemars/Dembeles alone.
But, summer 2020 or 2022: do it. We'll start a new era, we'll need a new leader, a new core, a fresh start.
Also, once again, we can post this in "I told you so" topic or somewhere, feel free to quote me.
Pick 10 youngsters now whom you would like to buy.
And let's see on what level they will be in 2-3 years.
As JamDav and others said, on each Asensio, there are 5 Halilovics and similar guys.
Also, people often think in hindsight: yes, but Halilovic was dumb. Lemar is not dumb.
Quaresma wasn't a good professional. Goretzka and Lemar are different.
Well, they had only one good season behind them.
Let's wait whether (or how many) problems will kick in with them:
1. feeling homesick
2. bad professionalism
3. longterm injuries
4. alcohol, drugs, party life
5. loving only money, like Neymar
6. girlfriend/family problems (Rakitic, Deco, Adriano the Brasilian)
7. a bad fit for Barca
8. fights with coaches, coach don't like him etc
Again, I remember like yesterday all huge transfers like Saviola, Simao, Quaresma, Geovanni Deiberson etc.
Saviola was the best young player in the world, just won the youth World cup with Argentina, being named the best player and a record scorer.
Had a good personality, he looked like a guy who plays insanely well.
In current market, his price would be 100-150M (like Dembele).
We waited and waited for him and lost 3-4 years. Zero titles, zero success.
When we realized that he will never reach his potential, we had to start from zero.
Quaresma was miles better than current Lemar.
He was named the next Figo (Figo was Messi/CR7 of that era).
So, imagine the next Messi in today0's football (someone like Dembele or Dybala).
Also, experts were saying that Quaresma has way more potential than his friend CR7.
So, we bought the most promising youngster in the world.
A guy never reached his potential during his career and always struggled to be a starter in all big clubs.
Simao was also the next Figo.
Geovanni was a 100M signing in today's market.
He was the best prospect from Brasil back then. A crazy dribbler, they said.
A 100M signing that ended as a squad level at Barca and Man City.
Or, do you remember the next Messi and CR7 from 3 years ago? Halilovic and Odegaard?
Lel.
How it seems currently, they will struggle to ever play any serious midtable La liga level of football.
I was personally mad as hell when we didn't sign Odegaard.
I said: stupid board, this guy will be the best player in the world.
Lol.
Andre Gomes looks like Maradona compared to Odegaard today.
So, yes, it is easy to mention Isco and Asensio.
But I really doubt that a level of success with hit and miss youngsters is more than 20%.
Also, Asensio was like a peanuts cheap.
Isco was also quite cheap.
Those 2 are quite different than buying 150M Dembele and 120M Lemar in one summer.
Real is trying with low risk (low prices) youngsters.
If they hit a gem=awesome.
If they miss=not a big deal.
But buying a 120M Lemar and 150M Dembele alone is a huuuge deal.
