Defender for next season?

[FCBarca]

Liverpool would be a tough club to pry away a player from unless they're already unsettled...perhaps he harbors some Barcelona aspirations?

 

[Trickykid]

I don't really know what sort of DM potential the Dane has but I like him as a CB

I've been following Agger closely ever since his early years in Brøndby, and I don't think I've ever actually seen him play DM, but he sure has the skillset to do so. In my eyes he would be a great buy, if the price is right of course, but I'd honestly rather see him play as a starter at Liverpool, than make him a backup player here at Barca. He'd be an absolute boss in our defense if he got to play regularly though, of that I'm certain.

 

[King Leo]

Tito said this: “The player from Navarra has the skills I need. We want someone who can play as a defender and as a midfielder”
My question is; if we have Mascherano for that then why are we after yet another defender/midfielder?

Mascherano has been a super signing for Barca and has done great in covering our defense lines during injuries, now we need a solid fulltime DEFENDER that wont cost us 30+ mil.

 

[Trickykid]

I'm pretty sure that, no matter how good he's been for us, Pep didn't and Tito doesn't see Masch as dm material for the way Barca plays. That's most likely why we'd want another backup for Busi and the central defense.

 

[PhilS]

Tito said this: “The player from Navarra has the skills I need. We want someone who can play as a defender and as a midfielder”
My question is; if we have Mascherano for that then why are we after yet another defender/midfielder?

Mascherano has been a super signing for Barca and has done great in covering our defense lines during injuries, now we need a solid fulltime DEFENDER that wont cost us 30+ mil.

Masch expects to play CB full time this season, same as last year. I'm sure his expectations reflect Tito's. Since he is the starting CB, he is not available to back up DM.

The defender signing might be a bit of an anticlimax, it might be more of a solid player than a real star. The role will be #4 CB, or even to compete for that role with Fontas, Bartra and Muniesa. I bet it will be a CB, rather than a CB/DM. Dos Santos and maybe Thiago can spell Busquets, Masch could move back there if Busquets gets hurt.

 

[i_bleed_blaugrana]

Masch expects to play CB full time this season, same as last year. I'm sure his expectations reflect Tito's. Since he is the starting CB, he is not available to back up DM.

The defender signing might be a bit of an anticlimax, it might be more of a solid player than a real star. The role will be #4 CB, or even to compete for that role with Fontas, Bartra and Muniesa. I bet it will be a CB, rather than a CB/DM. Dos Santos and maybe Thiago can spell Busquets, Masch could move back there if Busquets gets hurt.

Thiago needs to be developed as an attacking midfielder and a long term replacement for Iniesta, not as a defensive midfielder.

 

[i_bleed_blaugrana]

The more and more I think about it, considering how the market looks right now as far as quality CBs being available, we might be better advised to just continue signing quality players for our B team in order to boost our youth ranks for the future. I have yet to hear anything to tune of Abidal retiring and although he won't be likely to return to play for us until October or November, whenever he becomes available again, we could use him as the deputy CB. I see him as being a perfect #4 CB for us behind Masch and he could be our #2 LB to come on for Jordi Alba as a sub. Meanwhile, this would keep enough room in the squad to test out Barta and Fontas more in smaller La Liga games or CdR games and see if they have the quality to step up and be the long term replacement for Puyol. If not, then next summer we could devote all of our funds to signing a CB like Martinez or Hummels who will both be cheaper.

The leftover money we have now could then be used to resign Romeu to be our #2 defending midfielder behind Busquets (if we don't decide to push Masch back up as a DM) and we buy a cheap striker to be our Henrik Larsson like super-sub. I am kinda interested in Nelson Oliveria bc I see a lot of potential in that kid, plus he wouldn't be more than 10 million but an Adrian could be suffice as well.

 

[Barcilliant]

Agger is too injury prone and imo not good enough. Martinez too expensive. Ivanovic would be good. Tough, uncompromising defender.

 

[Trickykid]

Agger is too injury prone and imo not good enough. Martinez too expensive. Ivanovic would be good. Tough, uncompromising defender.

Agger being injury prone is not really debatable, but him not being good enough for Barcelona and worse than Ivanovic? That, my good man, is horseshit. Sure, Ivanovic would be able to fill in as rb, but we already have plenty quality there, and style wise I think Agger would be a much better fit for us than Ivanovic.

 

[Boris]

I just want somebody with Puyols mental characteristics leading our defense, when he retires.. thats all ... And if we're about to buy, spend it all on Javi and then just fasten your seatbelts

 

[JackSparrow]

Kompany anyone?!?

 

[Barcaman]

The more and more I think about it, considering how the market looks right now as far as quality CBs being available, we might be better advised to just continue signing quality players for our B team in order to boost our youth ranks for the future. I have yet to hear anything to tune of Abidal retiring and although he won't be likely to return to play for us until October or November, whenever he becomes available again, we could use him as the deputy CB. I see him as being a perfect #4 CB for us behind Masch and he could be our #2 LB to come on for Jordi Alba as a sub. Meanwhile, this would keep enough room in the squad to test out Barta and Fontas more in smaller La Liga games or CdR games and see if they have the quality to step up and be the long term replacement for Puyol. If not, then next summer we could devote all of our funds to signing a CB like Martinez or Hummels who will both be cheaper.The leftover money we have now could then be used to resign Romeu to be our #2 defending midfielder behind Busquets (if we don't decide to push Masch back up as a DM) and we buy a cheap striker to be our Henrik Larsson like super-sub. I am kinda interested in Nelson Oliveria bc I see a lot of potential in that kid, plus he wouldn't be more than 10 million but an Adrian could be suffice as well.

Nice post. We really shouldn't be signing anyone if Tito's primary targets are that costly. Make Bartra our 4th central defender next season and we are good to go.

 

[Puyol the wall]

Kompany anyone?!?

in Fifa 12 propably but in real life city wouldn't sell his boots for 40m unless he forces it

 

[Raed]

Abidal is not coming back, why can't people lay off him? He just wen through a life threatening procedure and looks half the size he used to be. It would take him a full year to recover if he ever did (to football levels) and by then he'd be old.

In all cases postpone the defender purchase until January, by then things will be more clear, sure they would have many defenders cup tied but that is better than making a hasty purchase. Barcelona should also consider loaning a defender, considering how difficult Barca finds it to find a CB. In the first six months if Bartra seems ready and can pull the stops then no more transfers are needed, if he seems shaky then either loan a player or purchase a new talent.

The banks are going difficult on Barcelona and your profits are large because you did not win La Liga or the CL.

 

[Alcantara]

With the transfer of Athletic's Javi Martinez being blocked, Barcelona are keeping an eye on Porto midfielder Joao Moutinho (25). [sport]

Another made up transfer story. Why would we go for him when we want a CB??