Barca Transfers and Rumors
- Thread starter Barcaman
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JamDav1982
Senior Member
Coutinho works harder off the ball defensively than Ozil by far and isnt scared to get stuck in to challenges.
To compare him to Ozil on that is just completely clueless from the usual suspects.
To compare him to Ozil on that is just completely clueless from the usual suspects.
behindbrowneyes
Well-known member
True. Coutinho plays under Klopp and therefore is used to press and work hard off the ball. Özil always was lethargic when it came to this. He is more like Messi defensively and we can't afford a second player like this.
Showing willingness to work hard off the ball is a quality too, especially when a quality footballer like Coutinho does it. People can say what they want about Neymar, but he always worked his ass off.
BarçaBarça
New member
I like the Aleñá-perspective, but I really think it can be fulfilled without signing Ozil and with signing Coutinho/Eriksen instead: Iniesta is soon only a substitute and Rakitic could easily get some competition from Alena, imo - the real task is to get rid of the sub-par midfielders, who we are loaded with.
I disagree: Paulinho on a FOUR year contract is still a mistake. Maybe 2 years would be fine, but we will end up paying too much for him in wages when he is 32, I really don't see him as a valuable player then. To compare: Ceballos went to Real for less than half the price (scored 2 goals in less playing time than Paulinho as well) - he will be the new Isco in the 2020/2021-season, when Paulinho is too old to make an impact in our team. That is what long-term planning is about.
Mathieu was a great buy overall, but only because Umtiti was brought in afterwards and clicked instantly. Otherwise betting on an old player would be too risky. If we can manage to find Umtiti-like signings for midfield and attack in the future - then yes, no problem in bringing in Özil, but I don't bet on that.
Cillesen: Goalkeepers are another story, and you know that, especially 2nd-keeper who can easily stay when 34/35 years old, if he is happy with his place, and Cillesen could be that guy.
Bravo: Bad example for you - he was a great short-term signing, yes, but brought in at the same time as a long-term signing, Ter Stegen, who turned out to be the exactly right bet, and the way to do your signings.
Mascherano: Defenders are different than midfielders, and I would be less keen to attack a signing of an older CB.
Villa + Suarez: Proves your point, yes. Both class-players with immense impact and they where bought right at their peak. I'm still a bit sceptical as to judge Özil in this category, but I know that some do. Tbh, I'm always vary of jumping on PL-hype, and when it is said that Özil has been WC in PL, I'm still not sure. Another related point: Would he be as motivated (which at times has been a problem in Arsenal, as I hear it) as Villa and Suarez was when they arrived? He has won everything and played for our rivals, and against every opposition team we can meet - would he have the drive to manifest himself as a memorable barca-player? I have doubts here as well.
Don't get me wrong: Short-term deals are fine, when the structure of your team are fine, but right now we have zero future perspective in key areas of the field: Replacement of Suarez, Iniesta, Pique and in the end Messi will cost us a bankrupting lots of money, so we need to have young options to try already now before they stop, so we won't decline to a midtable team by then. If we keep buying Ardas, Paulinhos and Özils that is what will happen (unless we buy our way out of trouble).
JamDav1982
Senior Member
Paulinho on a four year contract is not all that bad to the age of 32 and paying his fee and dividing over two years means less to spend in next couple seasons.
Would be idiotic to pay 40m for a 28 year old and put him on a two year contract.
Would be idiotic to pay 40m for a 28 year old and put him on a two year contract.
LeeRomeno
Active member
Good one
FCBfan22
Senior Member
From what I've seen in the last 2 matches I'd say:
- Renew Messi
- Sell Gomes, Rafinha, Vidal and Arda.
- Sell Denis too, if Valverde doesn't intend to play him.
- Try to ship Suarez or bench him.
- Buy De Ligt.
- Buy Mina and sell Marlon
- Buy Coutinho and Lemar. Both. They can both play LW and LCM, with Lemar being able to play RCM and RW also occasionally and they are both playmakers.
- Play false 9 again.
- Renew Messi
- Sell Gomes, Rafinha, Vidal and Arda.
- Sell Denis too, if Valverde doesn't intend to play him.
- Try to ship Suarez or bench him.
- Buy De Ligt.
- Buy Mina and sell Marlon
- Buy Coutinho and Lemar. Both. They can both play LW and LCM, with Lemar being able to play RCM and RW also occasionally and they are both playmakers.
- Play false 9 again.
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Barcilliant
Senior Member
Lmao @ people wanting Ozil.
He's 29 years old. We have enough players who are his age. Signing him would be a short sighted strategy and God knows we don't want more of that.
We need to rejuvenate the side and take a chance on youth. The direction we're heading in is the Milan one. There is always the chance that we buy young players and they flop but it's better then buying old players who flop.
Now is the time to think long term.
FFS we need to improve our scouting. I'd rather spend 20 million there the on Ozil.
He's 29 years old. We have enough players who are his age. Signing him would be a short sighted strategy and God knows we don't want more of that.
We need to rejuvenate the side and take a chance on youth. The direction we're heading in is the Milan one. There is always the chance that we buy young players and they flop but it's better then buying old players who flop.
Now is the time to think long term.
FFS we need to improve our scouting. I'd rather spend 20 million there the on Ozil.
To be fair , he's younger than Messi so he's hardly ageing. He's also a class player who offers creativity and vision for 20 million !
Gawd knows we lack both those qualities in our midfield .
Neymessi
Active member
Point is that ozil costs 20 mil and him coming will mean one of the turds like gomez etc leaving which is a win win.
Messi983
Senior Member
He has hard time to motivate himself playing for Wenger, I don't blame him.
That said, still don't want him. Not that much because of his talent level/age (I still think he could give us 2-3 good years) but mainly because we have really bad experience signing Arsenal players.
gregorrin10
Senior Member
Agree with almost everything, except replace Lemar with Eriksen. He is the perfect man for our midfield, can play like Xavi with his sensational passing ability and vision, or even like Iniesta, like he does it in the national team, playing in a more advanced role. But i'd love him as our RCM alongside Coutinho in the advanced role. Them together in our midfield with Busquets would be perfect. Both Eriksen and Coutinho are great at going forward, but while Eriksen isn't that great at dribbling, but he plays so smart, picking the right pass every time. While Coutinho not that great at passing, but can take on players with ease. Not to mention both are so dangerous from long shots and set pieces, we'd have not one, but two great big threats for our opposition, alongside our attack line.
BBZ8800
Senior Member
If we buy too many oldies, we will end as Milan.
If we'll buy too many youngsters like Gomes and Denis, we will soon drop to Arsenal's level.
Buying (past their prime) oldies isn't a solution.
But buying average young players isn't either.
Coutinho would cost 150-180, probably closer to 180M.
Eriksen would cost probably 200M, but Tottenham will never let him go.
I don't see a point of dreaming about these impossible scenarios.
Buying Eriksen is as impossible as buying Verratti.
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Givenchy
Senior Member
don't think he's impossible. sure Levy is a bastard but I can see a few Spurs players wanting out soon with their smaller wages, we already saw it with Danny Rose. ofcourse we should of been buying Eriksen when he was at Ajax but alas the board has no future vision as shown by chasing AdM and now freaking Ozil.
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