The point is that we buy extremely few players in their early 20s who are already top players in their respective leagues. I am not talking about 16 or 17 year old kids or players approaching 30. And its not about the French league or the Spanish league either. The excuses are always: "there are no good players on the market, and then we go on to obsess about Benatia or whoever our "scouts" claim is the only option, or other excuses like "they are all so expensive or they are all so unproven/not good enough". Its just that, excuses. We need to rejuvenate our squad and need to broaden our imagination away from John Stones for 100m euros or Thiago Silva.
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The point is that we buy extremely few players in their early 20s who are already top players in their respective leagues. I am not talking about 16 or 17 year old kids or players approaching 30. And its not about the French league or the Spanish league either. The excuses are always: "there are no good players on the market, and then we go on to obsess about Benatia or whoever our "scouts" claim is the only option, or other excuses like "they are all so expensive or they are all so unproven/not good enough". Its just that, excuses. We need to rejuvenate our squad and need to broaden our imagination away from John Stones for 100m euros or Thiago Silva.
Luftstalag14
Culé de Celestial Empire
JamDav1982
Senior Member
Dont agree with that.
Lots of players have been bought in their early to mid twenties and a number have been brought up from B team.
Far, far more players have been brought into squad under 27/28 than 30+.
DonAK
President of FC Barcelona
Because Lucho reportedly want either Marquinhos or Laporte.
No matter what, its just nitpicking. 50% of 30m is 15m. These "variables" are often just simply easy to reach and just a way to make it look better on paper.
It's time for Barça to put focus on Charly Musonda and I don't tell this because I'm Belgian. I saw him playing live years ago already and everybody knew already he will be extraordinary. Every youth trainer from Anderlecht to the Belgium National Youth teams give the same name when they are asked who is the biggest talent they ever worked with and it's Charly Musonda, while these trainers also worked with the both Hazards, Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne.. you name them. His dribble skills are impressive, both footed, very quick, vista, sublime passing, perfect crosses..this kid got everything and the most impressive about him is that he plays and coaches teammates like he has 10 years experience in La Liga.
Since young he started learning Spanish because he already kept in mind one day he will make his ultimate dream which is ending with Real Madrid or Barcelona. I don't know how or where I can ring a bell with the Barcelona staff but you better have this kid in your team as quick as possible because playing against him in a couple years in the clasico will be painfull.
[youtube]z5ooPTL3CDw[/youtube]
Since young he started learning Spanish because he already kept in mind one day he will make his ultimate dream which is ending with Real Madrid or Barcelona. I don't know how or where I can ring a bell with the Barcelona staff but you better have this kid in your team as quick as possible because playing against him in a couple years in the clasico will be painfull.
[youtube]z5ooPTL3CDw[/youtube]
BarçaBarça
New member
Most top clubs has a better bench than Barca. Our bench only looks good if you think about them playing to rest our key players once in awhile - not if you think that they should be good enough to step in at important moments if we get 2-3 months-injuries.
I think most Barca-fans are a little blinded by how lucky we have been with injuries! For other teams it is perfectly normal to have 2-3 (different) starters out all of a season. Just think about what our backline would look like if we got 2 permanent injuries - a complete disaster if it was in the deciding part of the season! Bayern Munich had 3-4 CB's out at once not long ago - and then think if that happened to us: if we miss one particular - Pique we already play way worse than before.
You could respond that our players aren't that much injured because of rotation, and Lucho should get credit for that of course. But it is a very risky strategy to rely on that it continues.
I get that we shouldn't buy a top player as MSN-backup, I agree - but we should strengthen our bench IMO.
JamDav1982
Senior Member
What teams have better CB depth after their starting players than Mathieu, Bartra and Vermaelen?
What team has better back up GK than Ter Stegen?
Even midfield who has better than Roberto, Arda and Rafinha?
Bayern maybe do but not by much if at all.
The bench is strong at Barca and those players have played a big part this season and last.
Too late. Bought by Chelsea. And we will likely ignore Ousmane Dembele as well. Its more likely we will go for Gameiro or Miranda than Dembele, Umtiti, Mustafi or Mammana.
JamDav1982
Senior Member
Nah if you are looking at the transfer history it is more likely Barca will sign a player in their early to mid twenties as has been the case for majority of transfers.
But the transfers of Arda at 28 and Mathieu at 30 seems to convice some people Barca only sign players over 30.
Luftstalag14
Culé de Celestial Empire
I really like Luis Enrique but he struck me as pretty stubborn and rigid sometimes.
We face some serious challenges to land either of them. With regard to Marquinhos, even IF PSG is willing to let him go he probably will go to a team where he is guaranteed to start. With us he is behind Pique and Masch, a 3rd at best. Unless he will willing to wait a couple of years to replace Masch. Not to mention, it is PSG so it will be hard to do business with them and the price tag will be BIG.
Laporte, before he got injured rumor had it City would trigger his release clause. I don't know what his injury does to the situation. Will City back off? Will we try to sign him amid his injury?
I hope Luis Enrique won't be stuck on these two and end up not getting any CB in the summer.
Players over 25 really dont improve. Thats extremely rare. As they are approaching 30 they are looking for their last big contract. The first half of the 20s is crucial. The majority of our transfers have not been to buy players who are already great and still are yet to reach their full potential. Thats why I think Miranda or hell, perhaps John Terry is more likely than actually having some imagination. But I would be pleasantly surprised if I am proven wrong.
Luftstalag14
Culé de Celestial Empire
Jombi, in your opinion why can other clubs afford to sign these young players and prospects without worrying about where to place them or them wanting to leave? Do they just loan them out?
JamDav1982
Senior Member
Barca are not looking to always buy players that will improve. They for the most part are wanting players that have proved they are good enough and know what they are getting.
The spaces for improving players and giving them minutes to develop are there for B team players.
Sometimes that will be broken for a superstar like Neymar or in a position no young player is emerging like Ter Stegen at GK. But majority of time signings will be proven players in their mid twenties.
Players over 25 do improve anyway. Suarez has, Bravo has, Masch did, Raki has. They improve as they adapt to the system - the ones that can.
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