Barça's Transfers and Rumors

[Mythical Revolution]

Fuck Suarez. Stop with the delusions guys, if we balked at Higuain for 70 million (who is exactly the kind of striker we need, unlike Suarez) how on earth do you expect us to shell out for Suarez.

At this point, particularly since we have the grand idea to get rid of both Fab and Xavi in less than two weeks with basic ass replacements like Rakitic, I'm ruling out any big impact signings this summer.

Selling world class talent to replace with mediocre stopgaps, brilliant strategy

I'll be surprised if we get past the 16s in CL and third in La Liga.

It's only going to get better till after 2016, hate to be a pessimist but the proof is in the pudding.

Higuain would make sense if we wanted to play a 4-3-2-1 with both Messi & Neymar relegated to the wings; but such a formation would restrict their freedoms without playing to their strengths so it's only viable as a tactical formation, not as our standard XI –*that's why shelling 70m on Higuain doesn't make sense.

On the other hand, with a fluid 4-3-1-2 with either Messi or Neymar dropping deep to play behind the 2 strikers you enable both Messi an Neymar to operate in a free standing role; rather than just Messi, as is the case in our current formation. You also have the added benefit of being able to switch to a 4-3-2-1 without making any replacements. Obviously to make it work we need excellent off-the-ball movement and positional interchange which we currently lack, but you also need the right players for it and Suarez would be a better fit to this formation than either Higuain or Alexis; hence why it makes sense that he's a transfer target of ours (whether or not we end up getting him is another matter).

I do share your apprehension regarding the future of this team, but I think that buying an XI CM should only be a priority after we've bought a CB, RB (if Alves leaves), CF (either an XI like Suarez if we decide to play with a 4-3-1-2 or a tactical one like CHicharito if we maintain our current 4-3-2-1). Rakitic may not be good enough, but our best 3 options for the CM position are Torres, Koke, and Gundogan. One is too young, one is too expensive (& doesn't want to leave) & the other is an unknown entity due to his injury; even though I still think that we should make a relatively inexpensive of buying him. But as you can see it's not too obvious who can take on that CM role while it's plainly obvious that Xavi cannot.

 

[Flavia]

Xavi maybe so but Cesc was definitely pushed out by the board. Cesc left bc he was a) being made into the scapegoat and b) he never got any support from the board. Had we supported Cesc and actually made him feel valued, he probably would have stayed. Remember Pique's comments right before he left?

Cesc stated himself before the netherlands game that bartomeu tried to stop him from leaving, that the board did not push him to leave. He left because he wanted to.

 

[CatalinR10]

Where are our new CB signings?

in our hearts

 

[Egert]

Despite PSG coach Blanc saying Marquinhos won't leave, Barcelona will keep on trying to sign him, with the approval of the player. [md]

Exactly our board, other team say no, but they still try. I'll be amazingly surprised if we sign Marquinhos this year.

 

[Pepe Silvia]

I'll be surprised if we sign what's his name Mathieu.

 

[ryuken]

No new Cb Ftw

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

 

[i_bleed_blaugrana]

Cesc stated himself before the netherlands game that bartomeu tried to stop him from leaving, that the board did not push him to leave. He left because he wanted to.

De facto. All comments made after the fact to the media has to be taken with a grain of salt. I'm sure Bart gave him a last minute call to try and convince him otherwise but it was too late. The damage was already done when we created this mess around him in the first place. It's even worse that his main competition is now leaving. The higher ups hindered Cesc here much more than they helped. That's why he left

 

[Egert]

I'll be surprised if we sign what's his name Mathieu.

You won't be surprised.
Valencia defender Jeremy Mathieu (30) would like to join Barcelona, but his club don't want to negotiate. Buyout fee is 20M. [cope]

 

[icemanbrfc]

20mill for Mathieu? Wtf! At best around 10mill i would say, based on his experience

 

[Professor Chaos]

You won't be surprised.
Valencia defender Jeremy Mathieu (30) would like to join Barcelona, but his club don't want to negotiate. Buyout fee is 20M. [cope]

I hope Valencia won't sell. It's our only hope. We don't need another unnecessary weak player.

 

[anguy]

De facto. All comments made after the fact to the media has to be taken with a grain of salt. I'm sure Bart gave him a last minute call to try and convince him otherwise but it was too late. The damage was already done when we created this mess around him in the first place. It's even worse that his main competition is now leaving. The higher ups hindered Cesc here much more than they helped. That's why he left

So comments made after the fact should be taken with a grain of salt, but baseless speculations don't? There's absolutely no evidence that Cesc was pushed out by the board. Why would he protect them, now when he's with new team.

 

[MarkYaeger]

At this moment, it' s just as likely that Bartra grows wings and becomes superhuman as a CB, as it is to actually BUY a world class CB. I'm not putting any energy into the CB debacle. It's a mess. We're gonna fail and fail and fail so much in buying a new one, that we'll trick ourselves into buying a shit one and thinking he's good.

As for a forward - Higuain is OK at best. He has a tendency to be extremely inconsistent and seems to shine playing more direct football. That's not us. However, him and Messi are close and whatever makes Messi happy and motivated and renewing is good in my book.

 

[serghei]

I'd stay with Neymar - Messi - Alexis, it's all you can wish for from an attacking trio -- provided Lucho get's his tactics right (that is Messi to be treated like a normal player, part of the system, not the system itself). But I wouldn't mind Suarez, I like the player.

As for the defence, the board seems incapable to sign anyone great. I hope Bartra will step up next season. At this moment, I wouldn't be surprised if our starting CBs would be Pique and Bartra. Which is a fine pair, but not world class by any means.

 

[linetty]

Barcelona could sign up to 5 more players this summer: two centre backs, a midfielder, and two forwards. [as]

 

[serghei]

Yea, well... it's not about the numbers as much as it's about quality. I'd take 3 great players over 5 so-so ones.