Thiago Alcantara

[weloveyuner]

It's not like Digne was going to get any significant playing time. He's a backup, at best. The only question is how healthy is Thiago?

 

[MTL_Barca]

i don't watch Bayern much. has Thiago been really bad or something? i don't understand why Bayern are happy to sell him. they already have alot of rebuilding to do with grandpa duo Robery

No he wasn't bad at all, for example 16/17 he was the best Bayern player imo. The criticism comes from some "big games" he apparently wasn't good but that's not even 100% true. They have a shitload of midfielders and their bosses like box-to-box midfielders more than anyone else lol, there is also Kovac who isn't exactly the coach to play possession based attacking football so Thiago might not be very important to him.

It's a strange decision honestly and most Bayern fans i know are super annoyed by this. Some others think they don't need him and can just play Martinez, James and Tolisso/Goretzka...what is still a very strong midfield but selling Thiago seems unnecessary here especially since bayern doesn't need the money and will probably not even spend it since the squad is still big even without Thiago.

 

[snowy]

Thiago would add proven quality to the MF straight off the bat. I'd take the deal and sign a promising young FB as a back-up. Should also start looking at phasing out Alba. His forte is speed and it's the first thing to go as he moves farther out his prime.

Just curious, has there ever been any team successful with "sedentary" full backs? As in, bigger type blocks, strong on the ball, dominant in aerial duels, interceptions and tackles, and whose attack contributions would be to pass the ball forward to MF or direct long balls to Attack squad in quick counters.

So basically, since the full backs wouldn't do box to box carries, there would always be 4 defenders in position.

Could a set-up like this work?

 

[Messi983]

Bad deal in my opinion.

I'm not a big fan of Thiago returning but how is getting him for 50M+Digne a bad deal? Better than pay 80M for Pjanić or 150M or more for Eriksen. That said, I doubt those rumours are true.

Sign a new backup LB. Not like Digne is that good. You could get someone like Jonny from Celta do the same job.

Jonny would be my choice too. Nothing spectacular but he's a solid player and could help until we wait and see how Cucurella (as said I'd loan/sell him with buy back) and Miranda will develop over the next year or two. Can also cover RB if needed. And we are apparently interested in Celta's SD Felipe Minambres so it's possible he'd bring Jonny if he'd become our new SD.

 

[BBZ8800]

I don't believe to Spanish press anymore.
They lie all the time that we will sell Rafinha for 35m, Denis for 25m, Deulofeu for 18m, and yet nobody is offering that kind of a money.

About Thiago, on Bayernzone, their sources say that they are asking 80m for Thiago, so I would trust those sources more than Spanish press.

https://www.bayernzone.com/showthread.php?t=3429&page=181

About Thiago, majority of their fans like him, but:
1. He was injured for 600 days out of 1300 at Bayern
2. Uli Hoeness doesn't seem to rate him
3. I think that I have read something that they are not happy with his attacking contribution, or something like that
4. Bayern has a lot of other midfielders
5. They have a new coach
6. For some people both Vidal and Thiago never reached expectations

To be honest, Bayern wouldn't be selling Thiago if they were perfectly happy with his injuries and contribution on a field.

That doesn't mean that he couldn't help here.
But at the end of the day, there is a reason why Bayern is willing to let him go.

You don't sell a 27 year old player on his prime (with a long contract) if you are perfectly satisfied with him.

 

[Sorin]

What are our alternatives? Genuine question. And i don't talk about the likes of Arthur, De Jong etc. who are promising but unproven for the time being.

Other than Thiago and Pjanic, I struggle to think of an established top class CM who might be available.

 

[Gaudi]

What are our alternatives? Genuine question. And i don't talk about the likes of Arthur, De Jong etc. who are promising but unproven for the time being.

Other than Thiago and Pjanic, I struggle to think of an established top class CM who might be available.

And I prefer Thiago over Pjanic.

 

[MTL_Barca]

I don't believe to Spanish press anymore.
They lie all the time that we will sell Rafinha for 35m, Denis for 25m, Deulofeu for 18m, and yet nobody is offering that kind of a money.

About Thiago, on Bayernzone, their sources say that they are asking 80m for Thiago, so I would trust those sources more than Spanish press.

https://www.bayernzone.com/showthread.php?t=3429&page=181

The 80M asking price also comes from spanish press tho, not sure if it was MD or sport (i think it was sport) where they claimed Barca offers 50 and Bayern wants 80.

This far no reliable German source put any numbers out as far as i know. I think they only report of a "good offer" is needed but nothing precise besides like opinions of writers/experts (like Matthäus who talks really bad about him and says sell for 50).

 

[Joan]

The 80M asking price also comes from spanish press tho, not sure if it was MD or sport (i think it was sport) where they claimed Barca offers 50 and Bayern wants 80.

This far no reliable German source put any numbers out as far as i know. I think they only report of a "good offer" is needed but nothing precise besides like opinions of writers/experts (like Matthäus who talks really bad about him and says sell for 50).

What did Matthau say? I'd like to read it if you have a link.

 

[Porque]

For the said price, bringing back Thiago would be a good deal. I would still be super concerned about his injury history though, and i'm still not convinced he has it in him to own the midfield and take control.

But if they could stay injury free, it would be fun to see the Alcantara's playing together at Barcelona. It would not be the worst squad move if they can both stay injury free and Andre Gomes, Denis are moved on.

Lastly, surely Pep goes in for Thiago too?

 

[BBZ8800]

I don't mind Thiago either, but.. I see a lot of posts here (Jombi, don't jump again, lol) where people used to claim in previous seasons how Thiago is one of best Cms in the world, how he is the best or top3 controllers in the world.

But at the end of the day, some negative facts about him are true:
1. Barca wasn't too keen on keeping him in the first place.
If we would have been so desperate to keep him, we would have done something differently.
2. he went away from Barca to find luck somewhere else
3. in his new club, his new club is AGAIN willing to let him go, more or less
So, both of his teams were willing to let him go in the end and their teams turned to other players/options.

Somebody mentioned above. He plays nice and pleasing for the eye, but I have never been 100% sure about him, that he is THE MAN, who will be the boss, lead our midfield and dominate all opponents.
I mean, I would rather have HIM than our current midfielders, but still, I was never 100% sure about him, neither when he was at Barca nor in Bayern.

Also, about his injuries, he missed 600 days out of 1300 at Bayern.
And his brother Rafinha is injured all the time also, from this or that unlucky reason.

If we'll sign him, imo 90% likely, he will miss at least 4-6 Months of football in at least 2 out of 4 seasons here.
He is older. There is no way that he will become less injury prone in his older footballing age.

 

[ab739]

I don't mind Thiago either, but.. I see a lot of posts here (Jombi, don't jump again, lol) where people used to claim in previous seasons how Thiago is one of best Cms in the world, how he is the best or top3 controllers in the world.

But at the end of the day, some negative facts about him are true:
1. Barca wasn't too keen on keeping him in the first place.
If we would have been so desperate to keep him, we would have done something differently.
2. he went away from Barca to find luck somewhere else
3. in his new club, his new club is AGAIN willing to let him go, more or less
So, both of his teams were willing to let him go in the end and their teams turned to other players/options.

Somebody mentioned above. He plays nice and pleasing for the eye, but I have never been 100% sure about him, that he is THE MAN, who will be the boss, lead our midfield and dominate all opponents.
I mean, I would rather have HIM than our current midfielders, but still, I was never 100% sure about him, neither when he was at Barca nor in Bayern.

Also, about his injuries, he missed 600 days out of 1300 at Bayern.
And his brother Rafinha is injured all the time also, from this or that unlucky reason.

If we'll sign him, imo 90% likely, he will miss at least 4-6 Months of football in at least 2 out of 4 seasons here.
He is older. There is no way that he will become less injury prone in his older footballing age.

Exactly this, he is not close to anywhere near the best cm's in the world. His stint at barca was average at best and many Bayer fans wouldn't care if he leaves. He's also always injured. He'd fit better in a substitute role but he is to expensive for that and we need an actual quality cm. The reason he's overhyped here is because he's a Masia product

 

[SeloBarca]

I don't believe to Spanish press anymore.
They lie all the time that we will sell Rafinha for 35m, Denis for 25m, Deulofeu for 18m, and yet nobody is offering that kind of a money.

About Thiago, on Bayernzone, their sources say that they are asking 80m for Thiago, so I would trust those sources more than Spanish press.

https://www.bayernzone.com/showthread.php?t=3429&page=181

About Thiago, majority of their fans like him, but:
1. He was injured for 600 days out of 1300 at Bayern
2. Uli Hoeness doesn't seem to rate him
3. I think that I have read something that they are not happy with his attacking contribution, or something like that
4. Bayern has a lot of other midfielders
5. They have a new coach
6. For some people both Vidal and Thiago never reached expectations

To be honest, Bayern wouldn't be selling Thiago if they were perfectly happy with his injuries and contribution on a field.

That doesn't mean that he couldn't help here.
But at the end of the day, there is a reason why Bayern is willing to let him go.

You don't sell a 27 year old player on his prime (with a long contract) if you are perfectly satisfied with him.

Agree with that. BM is selling for a reason.
Alot of people dont think hes been that great at BM either.
And hes injured like 50% of the time.

People say he didnt get playingtime with us but he played as much per season as Iniesta did this year and didnt impress at all.

Lets sign another Vermaelen.

 

[Jombi]

I don't mind Thiago either, but.. I see a lot of posts here (Jombi, don't jump again, lol) where people used to claim in previous seasons how Thiago is one of best Cms in the world, how he is the best or top3 controllers in the world.

Then who is better as CM than Thiago then? He's definitely up there among the very best. The risk with signing him (apart from him probably being unavailable and we ending up instead with another experienced Arda Turan or Alex Song) would be his injury history. Not his quality or ability to fit into our team.

 

[Andrew M]

Thiago would add proven quality to the MF straight off the bat. I'd take the deal and sign a promising young FB as a back-up. Should also start looking at phasing out Alba. His forte is speed and it's the first thing to go as he moves farther out his prime.

Just curious, has there ever been any team successful with "sedentary" full backs? As in, bigger type blocks, strong on the ball, dominant in aerial duels, interceptions and tackles, and whose attack contributions would be to pass the ball forward to MF or direct long balls to Attack squad in quick counters.

So basically, since the full backs wouldn't do box to box carries, there would always be 4 defenders in position.

Could a set-up like this work?

This might work in 2003, but modern full backs must be athletic, quick and mobile, with the ability to go up and down the pitch regularly.