Barca Transfers and Rumors

[FinBarcelonafan]

#BringBackIniesta

More quality than Pjanic now thogh.

 

[gregorrin10]

Would anyone take Jesus Corona on a free transfer next year? He doesn't play much at Porto this season (probably because he doesn't want to renew and they know he's leaving) but was quite good in previous years whenever I've watched him. Probably not starter quality but could be a useful versatile player, probably upgrade over someone like Roberto. I think it's quite likely he'll leave Porto in January (was linked to Sevilla in the past as Lopetegui wants him) but if not and available on a cheap shorter term contract next year I wouldn't mind him.

Isn't Corona a RW though? How would he be an upgrade to Roberto?

 

[Mateka]

Besiktas want to terminate the season-long loan of Miralem Pjanic and send the Bosnia and Herzegovina midfielder, 31, back to Barcelona.(Zurnal - in Bosnian)

 

[Messigician]

Linked with Iniesta yet again

 

[iniestaGOAT]

Linked with Iniesta yet again

That is good news. Return of the GOAT and hes not messi.

 

[Messi983]

Isn't Corona a RW though? How would he be an upgrade to Roberto?

He can also play RB alongside multiple other positons. Not sure how accurate TM stats are but in 2019/20 he had 2 goals and 8 assists in 14 league games playing as RB. Yes, Portuguese league is not the strongest but I think he could be a good attacking RB for a year or two until we find (and have money to buy) someone better and younger. Maybe pair him with a more defensively solid RB like Azpilicueta. Let Roberto leave, sell Dest and possibly Oscar too.

 

[Messi983]

Starting in January I think we should start to negotiate with pending free agents (if some of them won't renew before or be sold in January)

My top targets: Azpilicueta, Onana, B. Kamara, Zakaria

Worth trying to but unlikely to sign with us: Kessie, Christensen, Rudiger, Sule

Other players under consideration: Brozovic, Corona, Cavani (if we won't sign him in January), Origi, Januzaj, Belotti, Insigne, Lacazette, Burak Yilmaz (yeah, I know he's 36 but is in a much better state than our veterans who are a few years younger), Luiz Felipe, Zagadou

#FreeAgentsFC


Then start to look at players with contracts expiring in 2023 like Mukiele, Zeki Celik, Senesi, Ndicka, Schlotterbeck, Akanji, Gaya, Tagliafico, Wijndal, Grimaldo, Gravenberch, Renato Sanches, Caqueret, Cherki, Guedes, Chukwueze, Cabral, Chimy Avila,...

Mostly players from known selling clubs or those who don't play CL every year so it's likely they'd consider even current Barca as a step up in their careers. We should avoid buying from EPL clubs as they just don't need to sell so we'd have to overpay even for their squad players/rejects let alone starters.

Sure, it looks mostly an underwhelming group of players for "normal" times but we don't live in those right now so most of the players above should improve the team. We're falling down and I think are close to hit a rock bottom. Depending on what moves we can get done in January and getting injured players back I believe we'll improve in coming weeks/months and then I also expect us to be much more competitive domestically next season.

I think for next few seasons we'll need to replace a known underpeforming and/or old players with an unknown quality available for affordable prices and hope at least some of them will turn out good (we know they all won't). In the meantime keep developing a young core already at the club and be patient with them.

 

[wisconsincule]

I like the above strategy. I wouldn’t mind turning into Dortmund for the next couple years. If we are going to buy players, try to buy the hot prospects/even flipping them if the price is right. We need to get out of the financial
Black hole that we are currently in.

Buying players for 50-70 million who most likely will fail is not the solution. Would rather spend cheap on similar players and see if any stick.

 

[Kubala]

Starting in January I think we should start to negotiate with pending free agents (if some of them won't renew before or be sold in January)

My top targets: Azpilicueta, Onana, B. Kamara, Zakaria

Worth trying to but unlikely to sign with us: Kessie, Christensen, Rudiger, Sule

Other players under consideration: Brozovic, Corona, Cavani (if we won't sign him in January), Origi, Januzaj, Belotti, Insigne, Lacazette, Burak Yilmaz (yeah, I know he's 36 but is in a much better state than our veterans who are a few years younger), Luiz Felipe, Zagadou

Agreed and would add Sardar Azmoun to that list too. No Suarez but a considerable upgrade on LDJ & MB. Him, Zakaria, Kamara, Grillitsch etc are good ages too and would have decent resale value.

 

[Messi983]

I've never watched Azmoun so didn't mention him but he looks good here and also has nice stats (Russian league, I know but still) so worth looking at as well.

 

[Kubala]

I watched him play against Chelsea last night and he looked a good all round forward. Took his goal really well, worked hard, pressed and is very good in the air.

 

[te amo barca]

See Zakharyan and Azmoun mentioned here. Zakharyan is young and could develop into a top player, and Azmoun was for years linked with a move outside of Russia. That said, I would be wary of rating players from the Russian league. The last genuinely good players who played there were Hulk and Witsel for Zenit. Malcom probably falls into that category too. The biggest Russian prospect before Zakharyan - Miranchuk - has been terrible for Atalanta for 1,5 seasons now after being great for Lokomotiv.

 

[Porque]

I like the above strategy. I wouldn?t mind turning into Dortmund for the next couple years. If we are going to buy players, try to buy the hot prospects/even flipping them if the price is right. We need to get out of the financial
Black hole that we are currently in.

Buying players for 50-70 million who most likely will fail is not the solution. Would rather spend cheap on similar players and see if any stick.

If this is the strategy, then how about buying Haaland for Raiola's demands and putting a BO at (for example) 125m-200m range activated after 2 seasons.

Gives us a guaranteed goalscorer which is our biggest problem, and gives Raiola and Haaland another transfer to make even more too.

Get the transfer financed on low interest with a % of the transfer fee also going to the financer.

In the end we won't make much financially but it gives our sporting project a boost to start the wheel again.

 

[DonAK]

First thing we need to ask ourselves when it comes to such players is: Is he better or can he better than Memphis Depay

If the answer is no you simply don't sign him. Doesn't matter how cheap he is. We need to add quality in our attack, not more mediocre depth.

 

[Messi983]

See Zakharyan and Azmoun mentioned here. Zakharyan is young and could develop into a top player, and Azmoun was for years linked with a move outside of Russia. That said, I would be wary of rating players from the Russian league. The last genuinely good players who played there were Hulk and Witsel for Zenit. Malcom probably falls into that category too. The biggest Russian prospect before Zakharyan - Miranchuk - has been terrible for Atalanta for 1,5 seasons now after being great for Lokomotiv.

Sure but if available for free/cheap still worth a risk imo. We can't afford to buy proven WC players (and they'd have little interest to join us at this point) and current standards are on an all-time low level (or at least close to that) so not really much is needed to improve what we have. Azmoun and Zakharyan have never played outside of Russia so their adaptation could be problematic as is for most Eastern European players. Not only on the pitch but off as well. We've seen what happened with Hleb and he was a good EPL player before coming here.

First thing we need to ask ourselves when it comes to such players is: Is he better or can he better than Memphis Depay

If the answer is no you simply don't sign him. Doesn't matter how cheap he is. We need to add quality in our attack, not more mediocre depth.

What if we can sell Memphis for 25m (cash on him with his contract expiring) and bring Azmoun on a free and then invest that Memphis money to improve another position?

I agree we need more quality in attack but better depth as well. As of now only Fati is 100% to be here next season and he has injury concerns. So bringing at least 2 if not 3 new forwards is expected if not needed.