Christian Eriksen

[Givenchy]

I think that we would move for him. It depends on the future manager as Valverde likely will leave this summer. Coutinho should not be an obstacle to that. If the board and the new manager deem Eriksen to be worth going for and as a great opportunity on the transfer market, they will go for him and part ways with Rakitic or other players to give room to him in the squad.

It does not look like to me that Eriksen is in hurry to extend his contract with Tottenham. I also have no doubt in my mind that he has his eyes set on Spain. Most precisely the two giants and likely with a preference for Barça given past statements.

It's an opportunity that the board should not let escape. I would make a deal with him as quick as possible and make room for him in the squad.

problem is though, where/when do we play Coutinho if we did buy Eriksen?

Eriksen-Arthur
------Busi

Dembele has surely made LW his own, Suarez and Messi aren't going anywhere so we end up with our record signing rooted to the bench or being a rotation option at best. im open to a formation change but then we have a problem with Messi-Suarez having to start

I feel Eriksen is up for the Barca move but sadly i think its us who won't make the move.. i hope you are right but Madrid have bags of money to spend and Modric is only getting older + that connection they have with Spurs

 

[Leo_Messi]

problem is though, where/when do we play Coutinho if we did buy Eriksen?

Eriksen-Arthur
------Busi

Dembele has surely made LW his own, Suarez and Messi aren't going anywhere so we end up with our record signing rooted to the bench or being a rotation option at best. im open to a formation change but then we have a problem with Messi-Suarez having to start

I feel Eriksen is up for the Barca move but sadly i think its us who won't make the move.. i hope you are right but Madrid have bags of money to spend and Modric is only getting older + that connection they have with Spurs

Coutinho is the main problem here (I hate repeating myself but what I wrote 1.5 years ago turned out even worse than I thought and 160 million euros was just an insane transfer fee - overall a horrible transfer if you ask me) but as I wrote, it would not be the first or last time that the club decided to part ways with a recent transfer arrival. Even a high-profile one like Coutinho. Of course it would be a farce for the club but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

Of course nobody is saying that an arrival of Eriksen would necessarily mean that Coutinho would have to leave. Have in mind that Suárez and yes sadly Messi, are not getting any younger. Coutinho was probably bought with the future in mind as well. There is also the option of a formation change as you mentioned. A new manager. Rakitic likely leaving next summer are other important factors to consider. Busquets recently stating openly that he has at most 2-3 seasons left at the highest level (he included the current one).

Arthur is a long-term project as well. Much more so than Coutinho so I could very well see him alternating between the playing field and the bench for the next 1.5-2 seasons until Busquets called it a day.

My point is that opportunities like Eriksen, provided that he does not extend his contract, are a rare thing and that we should take advantage of that. In particular as I could very well see Eriksen wanting to move to us.

Well, that and me being a fan of him since his Ajax days but he really took it a step further in Tottenham.

 

[D10S_JC]

I don't think he fit our 4-3-3 formation. Peak Rakitic is sure a better player than him. He'll be highly possible to end up like Cesc at Barca, who's struggling under high pressing and hardly contribute to defense duties.

 

[te amo barca]

He will have the same issues as Cesc did and Coutinho does. Just not a CM.

 

[clemente]

What? He covers the most distance in PL, he is great in no space situations, he does a lot of body feints which I probably have never seen Rakitic do, finishing is also better, passing is better, he always creating chances while Rakitic creates maybe 10 per season, just a higher footballing IQ player, that also has a way better technique, how can someone say Rakitic is or ever was better than him?

 

[Givenchy]

Coutinho is the main problem here (I hate repeating myself but what I wrote 1.5 years ago turned out even worse than I thought and 160 million euros was just an insane transfer fee - overall a horrible transfer if you ask me) but as I wrote, it would not be the first or last time that the club decided to part ways with a recent transfer arrival. Even a high-profile one like Coutinho. Of course it would be a farce for the club but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

Of course nobody is saying that an arrival of Eriksen would necessarily mean that Coutinho would have to leave. Have in mind that Suárez and yes sadly Messi, are not getting any younger. Coutinho was probably bought with the future in mind as well. There is also the option of a formation change as you mentioned. A new manager. Rakitic likely leaving next summer are other important factors to consider. Busquets recently stating openly that he has at most 2-3 seasons left at the highest level (he included the current one).

Arthur is a long-term project as well. Much more so than Coutinho so I could very well see him alternating between the playing field and the bench for the next 1.5-2 seasons until Busquets called it a day.

My point is that opportunities like Eriksen, provided that he does not extend his contract, are a rare thing and that we should take advantage of that. In particular as I could very well see Eriksen wanting to move to us.

Well, that and me being a fan of him since his Ajax days but he really took it a step further in Tottenham.

one of the things that puzzles me so much about the Coutinho transfer is how it wasnt just a panic buy like 'oh shit Neymar left, lets get a replacement, Coutinho! he'll do' because that summer we got Dembele and while Messi is around it seems the board had plans to play him at LW: Dembele-Suarez-Messi.

Coutinho was being touted as our next Iniesta so im guessing thats what the board had in mind when signing him but EV won't trust him in a midfield 3 and Dembele blew him out the water even at LW, his unpreferred position. its crazy to witness the clubs record signing sitting on the bench due to tactics and its the board who will have to answer for this shit, i kinda feel bad for Coutinho

on Eriksen, i totally agree

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

I don't think he fit our 4-3-3 formation. Peak Rakitic is sure a better player than him. He'll be highly possible to end up like Cesc at Barca, who's struggling under high pressing and hardly contribute to defense duties.

Isn't he one of the hardest working players in PL? He is a workhorse. I dont think he would struggle as much as Countinho, especially with Valverde.

 

[Respekt_III]

I don't think he fit our 4-3-3 formation. Peak Rakitic is sure a better player than him. He'll be highly possible to end up like Cesc at Barca, who's struggling under high pressing and hardly contribute to defense duties.

He will have the same issues as Cesc did and Coutinho does. Just not a CM.

Sorry but you guys don't know what you are talking about.

I think we should sign him 100%, i was of the opinion we should of signed him instead of coutinho as well.

 

[Vilarrubi]

What? He covers the most distance in PL, he is great in no space situations, he does a lot of body feints which I probably have never seen Rakitic do, finishing is also better, passing is better, he always creating chances while Rakitic creates maybe 10 per season, just a higher footballing IQ player, that also has a way better technique, how can someone say Rakitic is or ever was better than him?

+1 guys who don’t watch him enough think he’s just a CAM. He actually plays deep a lot and never stops working hard.

 

[Arizona Scott]

Eriksen is not known for his pace nor defense work. Even he will tell you that. He is near the bottom of his squad in tackles and interceptions. Distance is one thing, someone like Jordan Henderson covers similar distance, Rakitic does for Barca and Croatia.

Eriksen is a great player, but thrives with complimentary players around him. I think Rakitic is more valuable for the current squad than Eriksen would be, he has more defensive impact Eriksen (Rakitic is #1 in interceptions BTW, Busquets is #1 in tackles and good in interceptions). I would take Eriksen over him because of age--but Eriksen would compound the issue of lack of pace in Barcelona's midfield--see many of the same problems.

I think someone like Kante, Koke or Saul would have a very positive impact on Barca (much more than Eriksen, or Countinho has shown yet) and we tried for Verratti only for QSG to keep giving us the middle finger, but Rabiot on a free is a nice play (vs 100 for Kant or the 150 buyout of the other two). Fabinho has also been impressive--but he isn't going anywhere now.

 

[Havesaks]

Eriksen is not known for his pace nor defense work. Even he will tell you that. He is near the bottom of his squad in tackles and interceptions. Distance is one thing, someone like Jordan Henderson covers similar distance, Rakitic does for Barca and Croatia.

Eriksen is a great player, but thrives with complimentary players around him. I think Rakitic is more valuable for the current squad than Eriksen would be, he has more defensive impact Eriksen (Rakitic is #1 in interceptions BTW, Busquets is #1 in tackles and good in interceptions). I would take Eriksen over him because of age--but Eriksen would compound the issue of lack of pace in Barcelona's midfield--see many of the same problems.

I think someone like Kante, Koke or Saul would have a very positive impact on Barca (much more than Eriksen, or Countinho has shown yet) and we tried for Verratti only for QSG to keep giving us the middle finger, but Rabiot on a free is a nice play (vs 100 for Kant or the 150 buyout of the other two). Fabinho has also been impressive--but he isn't going anywhere now.

Eriksen would fit our team better than rskitic because he is mobile and forward thinking. It would click better and he offers more control. I like Rskitic a lot. But. His statistics may be good, but he is also part of the problem. He isn't mobile enough to connect midfield and offense, or the whole team in general. We don't need interceptions if we don't lose the ball. I know its unrealistic but I would lobe a Eriksen - rskitic swap. And through Denise in as a bonus.

 

[Arizona Scott]

What Rakitic has done for the club and continues to do for the club is so highly underrated. He is the best midfielder Barca has, or at least solidly co-best with Sergio and no-else is close. Not his fault the 3rd player in the midfield isn't Iniesta or Xavi. Eriksen is outstanding but he isn't that player and replacing the two short term would leave the overall team weaker.

 

[CatalinR10]

What Rakitic has done for the club and continues to do for the club is so highly underrated. He is the best midfielder Barca has

 

[gregorrin10]

I would swap Rakitic for Eriksen any day, don't know how this is even a debate. Eriksen is the better ball handler, passer, attacker, shooter, ball retention and press resistance player. The only thing Raki might have on Eriksen is the defensive contribution and interceptions, and even that is highly questionable, since Eriksen has already shown some master class all around performances against top opposition, when playing CM, and he has better work rate than Ivan anyway. Not to mention he's 4 years younger.

 

[Arizona Scott]

I would swap Rakitic for Eriksen any day, don't know how this is even a debate. Eriksen is the better ball handler, passer, attacker, shooter, ball retention and press resistance player. The only thing Raki might have on Eriksen is the defensive contribution and interceptions, and even that is highly questionable, since Eriksen has already shown some master class all around performances against top opposition, when playing CM, and he has better work rate than Ivan anyway. Not to mention he's 4 years younger.

I would take Eriksen because of the age difference. But if you just replaced Eriksen with Rakitic a whole of lot of problems would remain, some might get better, some worse. Barca would have an even slower and less physical midfield. Now perhaps Busi-Rabiot-Eriksen would work if Rabiot shows his best form consistently--but he isn't on the squad yet. By the way I like Eriksen a lot, be great to have him, but he wouldn't be a panacea.