Arthur

DonAK said:

I recall you using the same argument for disliking MAtS too.

Anyway, he was in the WC squad, but got injured in training just before the squad was announced.

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About MAtS, I was against him because Bravo was better than him, and MAtS was very prone to stupid mistakes. But I admitted that he is world class this season, and it was the correct decision to keep him. I didn't believe in him, but he proved me wrong.
It's not that I dislike Arthur, it's just that I don't have faith in any player coming from SA leagues directly to a big club like Barca. Would love it if Arthur proves me wrong like MAtS did, but the situations are not comparable, MAtS had Bravo, and was not expected to be nr1 from the start. With Arthur it's different, the expectations will be big, if he doesn't show that he is great at the start, he will be replaced with another talent. It would have been different if we had someone like Xavi and we wanted to easy Arthur in, that is why I am for Eriksen, and after we can get some young talented midfielder, who can get his chances without to much pressure.

Says the club wants to Bring Arthur in July, if we can sell some players.

Probably meant pay the 50 million euro clause to get him in July and if not we will wait in January.

MD's article on Arthur and some key quotes.

Barça wants to advance the arrival of Arthur for this summer

The club azulgrana works to bring before the middle of the Guild as relief of Iniesta although always that enter by some midfielder of discarded

Pep Segura, general manager, has traveled to Brazil to try to convince the entity of Porto Alegre, reluctant to transfer it now because he considers it essential to fight for the 'brasileirao' and reissue the title of the Libertadores

Definitely closed the stage of Andres Iniesta as a player of Barça , the club begins to work in his relief. Everyone has assumed that "Iniesta has no substitute", but the club thinks about making sure as soon as possible a relief. The profile of the player who arrives must compensate what is lost with the march of the manchego. Coutinho is already there , but it takes more touch, control and pause. The bet, in addition to the promotion of Aleñá and the possibility of follow Denis , is that of Arthur Melo , 21, midfielder of the Gremio for which the club already advanced 4 million and must make effective his purchase, agreed on 30 million plus 9 in variables, before next July 15.

To try to convince the Guild, Barça sent Pep Segura , general manager, to Brazil , with the aim of advancing his march. In the next few days he will meet Guild leaders, as well as the Santos board, to block the 17-year-old promising youngster Rodrygo Goes , who is standing out with the first team, with whom he has already played 23 matches and has scored five goals.

In addition to the price of Arthur, under the conditions agreed between Barça and the Gremio last March also includes the date on which the transfer would also be effective: the player would complete the 2018 season in Brazil and arrive at Barça in January. 2019, once concluded the Brazilian championship and the participation in the Liberators of the Guild , current champion.

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The Guild will not make it easy

Despite being aware that it will be very difficult, the club wants to advance the arrival of Arthur for this summer and not wait for January, but always to enter money for the transfer of one or more midfielders of the current template. André Gomes is the first on the club's transferable list. As much from the directive, the sport direction as the trainer considers that the ideal would be to be able to count on Arthur from the first day of the preseason. When they agreed to the Guild's request to stay until January 2019 it was because Andrés Iniesta had not yet communicated his intention to leave and they were convinced that the manchego would continue for at least another year, something that would have facilitated the transition with Arthur.

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http://www.mundodeportivo.com/futbo...remio-fichaje-adelantar-verano-barcelona.html

Using google translate so it's not perfect.

It would be stupid to pay 20m more to get him 6 months before.

Messi983 said:

It would be stupid to pay 20m more to get him 6 months before.

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Indeed, but nobody takes that serious, because everyone thinks doing transfers is easy.
Therefore "it would be stupid not to get him this summer" is more dominant than "would you pay 20M to get him six months earlier?" People don't want to make that call, even though that is the reality of our situation.

How big the difference is also depends on what variables are included in the winter deal. If it's something like Arthur plays 15+ games for us + we qualify for cl as requirements for the 9M bonus then that's pretty much guaranteed so we actually would only pay half of these 20M less. If it's something crazy like Arthur gets top3 at Balon d'Or then it's a different story.

Signing him in winter will probably make him not very useful for the 2nd half of the season. I don't think it would be as hard as for Mina but he certainly isn't a Coutinho either so we have to expect some time to adapt to the league/team. Even players like Neymar or Suarez needed time to adapt to Barca and Arthur doesn't know this level of football.

If we wait till winter we should sign another midfielder imo, otherwise it would be too risky. We don't even know how Cou does in midfield if we want to play 4-3-3, we don't know how well Alena does and seasons after a WC can always be rough and we also don't have that much time after WC left if we want to wait and see. I already see us playing 4-4-2 with Paulinho as a starter again...

We can always sell Denis or maybe even Rakitic in 2019 if Arthur does well and we feel like we have to many midfielders.

We could wait if course because we also have Sergi there but idk, we would be totally screwed if someone gets injured especially Busi or Rakitic since Alena, Denis, Cou are all more AM type of midfielders and Paulinho is mediocre in anything but offense too. Even without injuries they would probably end up playing every game because i can't see Valverde start like Cou + Alena in midfield.

I think Houssem Aouar is a more similar Iniesta type than Arthur. Get rid of Denis, Gomes and Rafinha and sign Fabinho and Aouar. They are both versatile players who can cover numerous positions. Arthur can join in January. If he's good enough, he'll adapt just fine.

Messi983 said:

It would be stupid to pay 20m more to get him 6 months before.

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6 months? It's a one year in Valverde's books. Yes I would do it. We know Valverde is not going to trust him, If he comes in January. He will be riding the bench by February..

He is not going to help in us any level next season If he comes in January. That's why I want him in summer and ready for the season.

Don't you know that he'll bench Rakitić in 10 games even if he comes in January?

Messi983 said:

Don't you know that he'll bench Rakitić in 10 games even if he comes in January?

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Probably not, but he could be useful in January.. We need more depth. Valverde will run this team into the ground again next January-February playing all 3 competitions etc. (just **** the Copa, let prospects play that one or backups)

We need more depth and capable players.

I hope this is not true. 20m for 6 months, don't make this bet worse.

Add 10m and we can pay Ruiz's clause, for instance.

If we activate the release clause instead of using the deal brokered at worst we pay 35/40 Million Euro for Arthur. He and his family own 30% of his rights. If he is serious about coming he will forego his share or agree to it being paid in instalments.

MD just spouting shit as usual.

Jombi said:

I think Houssem Aouar is a more similar Iniesta type than Arthur. Get rid of Denis, Gomes and Rafinha and sign Fabinho and Aouar. They are both versatile players who can cover numerous positions. Arthur can join in January. If he's good enough, he'll adapt just fine.

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Honestly Fabinho would just be another Gomes case. I haven't watched Aouar, but Arthur looks to be a very special player.
Getting him in the summer with what looks to be ultimately 10m more would honestly be good seeing he'll have a proper preparation and immediate connection to his team mates with is absolutely necessary.
Plus, if we get him in January, we will need another player, and that would just mess up the whole structure of the small team (that Valverde finally sees the merits to) and the future of the club - as the reserves will have more opportunities to play (so the chances of brilliant players leaving La Masia is lowered).

Hypothetically if we only get Arthur in the winter and 1 more midfielder in the summer we'll have (not counting Roberto):
Busquets, Samper
Rakitic, Arthur, [Midfielder], Paulinho
Coutinho, Alena

The clever thing to do is, instead of spending money on another midfielder, spend that 20m now on Arthur, he's directly integrated, and have a compact squad so that players like Oriol en Puig can play some trivial matches.

ebieymjunior said:

Honestly Fabinho would just be another Gomes case. I haven't watched Aouar, but Arthur looks to be a very special player.
Getting him in the summer with what looks to be ultimately 10m more would honestly be good seeing he'll have a proper preparation and immediate connection to his team mates with is absolutely necessary.
Plus, if we get him in January, we will need another player, and that would just mess up the whole structure of the small team (that Valverde finally sees the merits to) and the future of the club - as the reserves will have more opportunities to play (so the chances of brilliant players leaving La Masia is lowered).

Hypothetically if we only get Arthur in the winter and 1 more midfielder in the summer we'll have (not counting Roberto):
Busquets, Samper
Rakitic, Arthur, [Midfielder], Paulinho
Coutinho, Alena

The clever thing to do is, instead of spending money on another midfielder, spend that 20m now on Arthur, he's directly integrated, and have a compact squad so that players like Oriol en Puig can play some trivial matches.

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I have to disagree. He's still a huge bet (not sure how much we are paying for him). So we play with 30m (is it?) and now you want us to add 20 more? That's a huge risk. What if he fails? We are left with no other midfielder and will have the same problems.

He might seem like a special player but that doesn't mean much since he plays in Brazil.

Samper probably won't get his chance so discard him. We need a midfielder, no doubt.

Joan Laporta said:

I have to disagree. He's still a huge bet (not sure how much we are paying for him). So we play with 30m (is it?) and now you want us to add 20 more? That's a huge risk. What if he fails? We are left with no other midfielder and will have the same problems.

He might seem like a special player but that doesn't mean much since he plays in Brazil.

Samper probably won't get his chance so discard him. We need a midfielder, no doubt.

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Well let's agree to disagree then. And it'll ultimately be around 10m more

#justiceforsamper LOL