Barça's Transfers and Rumors

[Jombi]

We do need a core of 15-16 great players though. No player should feel they can do whatever they want and still play every game.

I am not sure Denis, Rafinha, Arda and Vidal is the solution to this.

We have a great first 11 + Roberto and Ter Stegen, but there are also question marks about Iniesta and Alves next season, so we might be down to 11 great players when we should have 15-16.

 

[gasgas]

Worldclass players
Defenders: t.silva, ramos, boateng, kompany, godin, pepe, alaba, marcelo, r.rodriguez, lahm, zabaleta, juanfran, azpilicueta and players at similar level



Midfielders: modric, vidal, koke, pogba, gundogan, and players at similar level


Forwards: aguero, cristiano, benzema, bale, debruyne, muller, lewandoski, griezman, douglas costa, and players at similar level


To me these are worldclass,. You also get that worldclass vibe when you hear their names.

I dont get the same vibe with mathieu, bendtner , heskey, pato, ivanovic, vitolo, bakambu, sokratis, sahin, mertesacker, bellerin, sagna, llorente.


Why? They are not on a worldclass level

 

[Messi983]

I think we should at least give them a chance. Most of the fans didn't believe in Roberto either before this season.

Maybe I'm wrong but I just look at things this way. We'll probably buy 3 players and Denis. And we'll also "get" Rafinha, Vidal and Arda. So that's basically 7 new players in my mind compared to most of this season. They will replace players like Bartra, Vermaelen, Douglas, Adriano and Sandro who didn't play much or at least didn't have any real effect on team this season.

That would give us a solid base of at least 16 players you are asking for. Only players I just don't see us getting a real replacements are Busquets and Messi, because they are just unique. But that doesn't mean they shouldn't get a rest sometimes against weaker opponents or when the game is already won.

 

[Jefecito]

Worldclass players
Defenders: t.silva, ramos, boateng, kompany, godin, pepe, alaba, marcelo, r.rodriguez, lahm, zabaleta, juanfran, azpilicueta and players at similar level



Midfielders: modric, vidal, koke, pogba, gundogan, and players at similar level


Forwards: aguero, cristiano, benzema, bale, debruyne, muller, lewandoski, griezman, douglas costa, and players at similar level


To me these are worldclass,. You also get that worldclass vibe when you hear their names.

I dont get the same vibe with mathieu, bendtner , heskey, pato, ivanovic, vitolo, bakambu, sokratis, sahin, mertesacker, bellerin, sagna, llorente.


Why? They are not on a worldclass level

Zabaleta wordclass level

Still getting benched by the non worldclass level Sagna

 

[BigBarcaBoy]

Meh, did you see the liverpool game?
Hummels is good with the ball but he got bullied in defence, you know who wasn't bullied at all? Sokratis, that's what barca needs, the perfect partner to pique.

was actually joking but totally agree, sokratis is Dortmund's best defender by a mile.

 

[Jombi]

I think we should at least give them a chance. Most of the fans didn't believe in Roberto either before this season.

Maybe I'm wrong but I just look at things this way. We'll probably buy 3 players and Denis. And we'll also "get" Rafinha, Vidal and Arda. So that's basically 7 new players in my mind compared to most of this season. They will replace players like Bartra, Vermaelen, Douglas, Adriano and Sandro who didn't play much or at least didn't have any real effect on team this season.

That would give us a solid base of at least 16 players you are asking for. Only players I just don't see us getting a real replacements are Busquets and Messi, because they are just unique. But that doesn't mean they shouldn't get a rest sometimes against weaker opponents or when the game is already won.

The 3 players we buy must be very good IMO. We need a situation where no player can feel safe next season if they play a few bad games in a row.

If we get Umtiti or Mustafi as CB and Ricardo Pereira as LB/RB, no one should feel safe among the defenders.

I dont know what we can do with midfield/attack.

 

[gasgas]

Zabaleta wordclass level

ll getting benched by the non worldclass level Sagna

Ok I havent watched man city this season at all.
I included him there based on previous seaons.

So thats what? One player.
Big deal eh

 

[BarçaBarça]

How pathetic we are when some lousy teams like West Hamm plan to spend more then us...

I know that, but we are Barca, we harvest the trophys, we are most atractive team for sponsors, we have biggest stadium, we took CL money, we did all... and some Newcastle has more cash to spend then us? Can you imagine what would happend if it was the other way around-if we were club fighting for survival in Primera and they were CL winners?

I get what you are saying, but just remember that spending much does not equal succes! It wouldn't be good to just splash money every summer, because we want to be the best in the world. Spending huge amounts on transfers gives other (possible) problems to consider: changes the dynamic in the locker-room, makes players think they are superstars etc.. Look at Atletico and Tottenham - young squads playing solid football - their best players were relatively cheap. Good transfer policy is not buying the best CB in the world right now, but buying the likes of Jesus Vallejo for 5 M. (peanuts) and loaning him out again - that is long term thinking in action - with no need of splashing ridiculous amounts every summer (RM will do anyway, but that is not the point).

I agree that a situation where we can't afford Nolito, like this January, is a joke, but don't measure succes in transfer-budget.

I've probably said this already at least 10 times during my short time here but I'll say it again. Even IF we buy Gameiro, that doesn't mean we won't rejuvenate our team in general or that we'll buy only "oldies". We'll get a younger CB, LB and also Denis Suarez back. We'll also get a healthy Rafinha and Vidal, who'll be fully integrated into team and ready for a bigger role.

I like your posts they are very thought-through What you are saying is right, but I will add something: Players for our 'long-term-future' doesn't have to sit on our bench. If we began making more deals like Vallejo in Zaragoza or Kranevitter in River Plate or someone like that, that would be very healthy. We have done that in midfield with Suarez and Halilovic, but needs to follow this strategy even more - and actually in most other areas of the field as well. If this happens, a 29-year old Nolito or a Gameiro would not be the end of the world, but without such supplementary signings we have too few options in the future.

I'd be totally happy with bench like: Bravo/MAtS, Alves*/Vidal/Bob, new CB and/or new LB, Denis/Rafinha/Arda (probably two of them), Gameiro

Just compare that to MAts, Bartra, Vermaelen, Adriano, Douglas, Munir we had on the bench on Sunday.

It would be a better bench, but I'm not sure deep enough - we also have to think about who would be on the bench if a starter gets injured - with that bench it would be filled with too many B-players I think.

Munir out on loan is a good idea, but only getting Gameiro is not - Sandro also played earlier this year, so we will need more bodies there, preferable a young CF as well. Of course if Lucho uses D.Suarez/Rafinha/Turan as wingers we just might have enough players there. It is just dangerous to think that we will go through next season with as few injuries as this and last year - other teams don't have our luck in that respect, and we should cover ourselves better if it changes.

1 new CB is not enough either - for Wednesdays game we will use Bartra, our 5th option in CB-spot. If both him and Vermaelen goes we need two new CB's. Both young, but a teenager as 5th option would be all right and good long-term thinking (CB's rarely steps right into a team and perform right away so getting young ones in to acclimatize to the squad/club would be good IMO).

I agree that in midfield Denis/Rafinha/Arda and maybe Roberto (if not RB) has proven themselves worthy of a season as backups with potential to break through in our team, and shortsighted the starters won't be a problem next season (Iniesta usually performs in the big games).

This summer I'd only cover our biggest needs and then wait for next summer (when both Madrid clubs and maybe some other clubs as well will have transfer ban and when 3 of top 4 richest EPL clubs won't have a new manager willing to spend like crazy) to get a long-term replacement for Iniesta/Rakitic and maybe another "luxury" signing in attack or defense. And please don't tell me there won't be good options on the market next summer, because there always are. Maybe we won't buy a player you're currently in love with but new "stars" are born every season and you'll all have new favourites this time next season.

I like this idea very much: Carefully assessing the market and getting what we need in midfield next summer, in a less overheated environment.
But if this window is the "Pogba or death"-window, where he leaves Juve, it is a bit unlucky timing for us (and yes I've fallen into the trap - I don't think anyone as good will be available out there for the next years).

 

[6 Ballons for Messi]

If Sokratis and Marquinhos are world class so are players like Mathieu, Bonucci, Naldo and Toprak. It completely loses its meaning.

Well first of all, no matter what you think of a world class player, bonucci is one, end of story.

Now about the world class label in general, I personally think a top15-20 player for his position is a world class player.

 

[Devils]

It's going to be a huge joke if we actually sign Gameiro.

What is actually going on at this club? The only outfield young player we've signed in the past 3 years was Neymar. Bartra was our youngest CB 4 years ago, he's still our youngest CB today.

Apparently we pay Robert and Braida to go watch every promising player in Europe, but here we are, strongly linked with Gameiro of all people.

 

[Kohe321]

Signing Hummels would be great, I really hope there is some truth behind those rumors this time.

 

[Ghostmaster]

Despite reports, Barcelona no longer interested in Dortmund player Mats Hummels (27). Follow Dortmund games because of other players. [md]

 

[Kohe321]

Signing Hummels would be great, I really hope there is some truth behind those rumors this time.

Despite reports, Barcelona no longer interested in Dortmund player Mats Hummels (27). Follow Dortmund games because of other players. [md]

Doh!

 

[6 Ballons for Messi]

Nice, bring in sokratis.

 

[SeloBarca]

I'd be totally happy with bench like: Bravo/MAtS, Alves*/Vidal/Bob, new CB and/or new LB, Denis/Rafinha/ Arda (probably two of them), Gameiro

Just compare that to MAts, Bartra, Vermaelen, Adriano, Douglas, Munir we had on the bench on Sunday.

So a midfield that is jsut as bad as it is now :/

A new young CB (dont spend whole transfer window tryign to get Marquinhos)
A rotation LB
A playmaking CM (Suarez not better than Turan, Turan not good enough, Rakitic dissapears in big games and can only run 45 minutes, all AMs)
A rotation FW.