17 - Marcos Alonso

Barcaman

Administrator
Staff member
Where does him coming leave Balde? Thought Xavi was happy with the kid and Alonso link was off.
 

Messi983

Senior Member
Where does him coming leave Balde? Thought Xavi was happy with the kid and Alonso link was off.

Think Xavi was actually more disappointed with Alba than pleased with Balde and signing Alonso shows that.

Don't see much sense in this signing but hope to be proven wrong. If Alonso (together with Balde) can help pushing Alba out of the club before 2024 then he'll do his job regardless of what he'll show on the pitch imo. Maybe he'll pack the bags for MLS in January if he'd become a 3rd choice LB but this still looks very unlikely to me.
 

Barcaman

Administrator
Staff member
Think Xavi was actually more disappointed with Alba than pleased with Balde and signing Alonso shows that.

Don't see much sense in this signing but hope to be proven wrong. If Alonso (together with Balde) can help pushing Alba out of the club before 2024 then he'll do his job regardless of what he'll show on the pitch imo. Maybe he'll pack the bags for MLS in January if he'd become a 3rd choice LB but this still looks very unlikely to me.

Yeah, seems plausible, Xavi might have been playing Balde to show his intent to get another LB (Alonso).

Don't think either Alba will be going so Balde will be one to leave surely.
 

feggydinho

Senior Member
Think Xavi was actually more disappointed with Alba than pleased with Balde and signing Alonso shows that.

Don't see much sense in this signing but hope to be proven wrong. If Alonso (together with Balde) can help pushing Alba out of the club before 2024 then he'll do his job regardless of what he'll show on the pitch imo. Maybe he'll pack the bags for MLS in January if he'd become a 3rd choice LB but this still looks very unlikely to me.

I don't think Alonso is even better than Alba, Alba must've done something to piss them up with this Alonso potential signing
 

Messi983

Senior Member
Could be besides sending a message to Alba we were also "showing off" Balde to generate (loan) interest by starting him in last two games.

I mean, if we could find a club where Balde would get guaranteed minutes then loaning him for a season wouldn't be the worst idea. But finding that club in last two days of transfer window is very unlikely. Most "smaller" clubs in La Liga right now are looking for complementary pieces rather than starters. They've mostly done their job on the market until now. Wherever he'd go now he'd need to start playing competitive games straight away without getting a chance to build chemistry with his new team mates during preseason and this is not easy for a 18 yo kid who has never started games regularly above Segunda B/Primera RFEF level.

Maybe Elche is the best possible fit for him if they sell Mojica to Villarreal as there were some reports recently (BTW, I still believe if we were looking for a more proven LB we should've signed Mojica rather than Alonso but too late for that now). He'd have company of Collado there as well so his adaptation could be a bit easier.

But in general how we've handled both FB positions this summer is the biggest disappointment for me. Even if we sign Alonso and Bellerin/Meunier RB and LB will still be our glaring weakness needed to be addressed next summer again. Alongside DM obviously although sadly delusional Xavi doesn't consider that position problematic.
 

Raketa10

Senior Member
Spending money on this guy while we have Alba and Balde is a pure madness. Xavi himself said that we are well covered on the left side. Therefore, we should really concentrate on signing a RB! IF this deal goes trough we'll have 3 LB's and no RB. Why the hell are we throwing money out of the window on a 32y old player we actually don't need?
 
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Raketa10

Senior Member
So it happened. I don't understand this deal at all but it is what it is. Now when he is signed I hope he does well here.
 

Respekt_III

CyaWouldntWannaBeYa
Fucking hell this club, its bad enough brining him at all but also a 3 year contract? for a 33 year old?
 

Gnidrologist

Senior Member
He probably sucks, but at least he doesn't seem to be a whiny puerile brat like Alba, who folds under slightest pressure. Certainly not worse in defense either. Alba was good, while he had his signature pace, which he doesn't anymore. Hope Xavi knows how to use this amigo.
 

Horatio

You're welcome
I actually like this transfer. He is still at a good age and haven't liked alba much for few seasons now. Does supposedly pretty well in wing-back position. So having him here on short-term is worth the shot.
 

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