ABC reported Real Madrid are out of the Rudiger race as he want 20m in a signing bonus and become one of the, if not the best paid CB in the world.
Barca are just not going to match that.
This new board are only going to give massive salaries to players like Haaland unlike the former board who were giving out huge contracts to every other player.
Yeah. It's just not Barca's style to go all out for a CB, wage wise. It's also not Laporta's style. Will much rather prefer to give that one ridiculous wage to an offensive star and also a marketing attraction, his new Ronaldinho, if you will. Especially since after Messi leaving we're kinda also in dire need of one.
As for CB, luckily there are many great low cost options this summer, even for free, or at least in the 10-30M region. We really don't need to be chasing the likes of Rudiger or Sule, who are quality yes. Although I'm actually not sure about either of them, Sule is just so slow and I actually wouldn't want him just because of that, even if I can't deny he'd bring some much needed toughness into our defense, while I feel Rudiger might be benefiting from the Tuchel system a lot more than we think. I think he's overrated, especially if he wants a ridiculous wage like that. Both him and Sule will undoubtebly demand a 15M salary at least.
A much more realistic target for us is someone like Gvardiol or Christensen, who I really hope we could actually get in any case for free. I just feel like he could become such a bargain for whoever gets him, both transfer and wage wise. Can't imagine he'd ask for more than Pique is on right now after that reduction (6M, if I'm not mistaken). We can cover that just by letting go of Pique or selling Lenglet. And Christensen could be a very good partner for Araujo or at least fight it out for Garcia for that other CB spot. We don't need world class CB, we just need some new blood and some capable CB, who know how to properly defend when needed, and who fit Xavi's game plan, are solid passers so they can help build our attacks, and who don't cost us and arm and a leg, salary wise. We'll be playing possession football and our CBs won't be under constant pressure to defend anyway.
Honestly the only CB I see us paying more than 40M for, is if we get De Ligt. And even that only if we can afford it and if Juve will be in dire need to sell, even if it means losing money on him, considering their financial trouble and even more so if they don't manage to get CL football next season (not to mention if we actually get another Calciopoli, which is unlikely, but possible). And even that, we'd only be doing it to help grease Raiola to give us a discount on Haaland.
