How to approach the rebuild

[JamDav1982]

There is not going to be much cash so Garcia, Wijnaldum and Depay in for spine of team if can get them for free. Maybe Bernat for free and Alaba if can make his wages but cant see it.

Start from getting a spine to team and getting rid of the bad contracts and blooding more youngsters.

 

[Raketa10]

I agree with that, no Lautaro/Neymar or Grimaldo for me either. don't have high hopes for Puig & Alena



I said it before and I will say it again, I think big signing will be a big priority if we lose Messi, it is almost a certainty .
Liga and Spain need a strong Barca, with a competent board I won't be surprised if they loosen the restriction and support us. Messi leaving will be a disaster and Liga and Barca need a new poster boy.



Busi will be the easiest to get rid off, players who has post career aspiration with barca will not force themselves on the team for contractual reasons. Busi is a lock to be a future Barca coach, and next board might stay for 12 years. He won't try to burn bridges with them.
Umtiti and Coutinho are almost impossible though.
You need a club to accept taking Coutinho salary at the age of 29, never mind he will be a huge loss on our books. At best he is a player who cost us 120M for a 5.5 contract. That is 21M per year loss on our books if he leaves for free.
I would love it to happen, I would hope that Coutinho wants to enjoy football somewhere else, but I don't see it.
Umtiti has a bum knee, unless we accept paying half of his salary to loan him for 2 year in Lyon, I don't see it happening.



This is where I strongly disagree and think it is a terrible way of starting a rebuild.
You don't try to rebuild with kid, you need to try to sign players who are ready for the next step, players around 23-35, and maybe even some 27 years old players who can give you great 4 seasons.

Basically you want the team next year to have:
Araujo (22), Garcia (20),Dest (21), Emerson (22) Fati & Pedri (18,almost 19). Eric Garcia 20, Balde (18)
Pedri (19) Ilaix (18)
Konrad (20) & Fati (19)
Along our previous young signings who are stull very underdeveloped: Dembele, FDJ and Firpo

There is no balance in this squad, no veteran leadership, no good players in their prime to allow those young players to properly develop.


I mean look at best rebuilding jobs we have seen this decade with Liverpool:
Salah & Wijnaldum,Matip: signed at age of 25
Mane & Firmino: 24 , same with new signing Diogo Jota
Alisson & VVD: 26
Robertson:23
Only Gomez & TAA were youth players.

Bayern is also a good case: Neuer,Lewa,Peri?ić (|and now Sane), Gnabry,Boateng & Goretzka were 23 to 26 (except for Perisic) when they joined.
Muller, Alaba , Kimmich & Thiago were joined during the time when the team was competitive and filled with veterans, it was done over the years.
Only Alphonso Davies out of last year main players were a youth signing during their recent rebuild.

Last example: Our own Barca rebuild 17 years years ago
Eto & R10 were 23 when joined, Xavi & Puyol was promoted during a good time with veteran players and were both in their peak when we started rebuilding.
Deco 27, Marquez 24,
Giuly , Gio , Edm?lson Van Bommel & Belletti : 28

Only Iniesta and Valdes (along old Barca B signing, Oleguer) were young core players in this team who were promoted during the rebuild. Messi was later promoted when we finished that rebuilding process and were elite team.


Going full youth is a recipe for disaster tbh

+1

 

[Devils]

But who

-Onana
-Donarumma
-Unai Simon

 

[Messigician]

-Onana
-Donarumma
-Unai Simon

I mean they aren't really Barca profile keepers.

 

[malvolio]

save the money for other parts of the team. we're fine for now at GK. we won a CL with 'clown' ter stegen as our keeper

we are terrible in defense, midfield and attack. too many areas to improve at once. i would like us to bring in some quality this time, not some unproven kids or rejects from other teams.

 

[Devils]

The team isn't 'hopeless' but need a top signing in every line.

I'd blow the entire transfer budget next season (including the sales) on Haaland if it comes to it. There isn't a player in the world who would lift this team up like he would. Sign a lower profile CM and CB but do everything possible to bring in Haaland.

 

[Birdy]

For me, a couple of important, critical steps.

1. Don't extend Messi.
2. Get a reliable manager with a vision.
3. Don't waste money. Splash big on a "9". Throw everything in a Haaland deal if possible.
4. Get a top tier CB.

Those 2 signings are critical. One elite player to lead the line, one defense general to sort the shit.

Everything else we need to do with what we have.

Should ideally look like this for 2022/2023 season.

I am in agreement in general, with the following remarks:

- Pedri in the CAM as a sub of either Cout or Griez (whoever ends up staying given that one of them should go alongside Messi)
- Top-noth CM instead of Pedri (like Aouar) there
- LB that will replace Alba. I am Ok with him being a starter for this and possible next season. 22/23 with alba starter no way
- Depay to sub Haaland, possibly also Ansu or Dembouz

Now, given that all that includes 3 big buys (Upamecano or Upamecano-caliber CB, Aouar or Aouar-caliber CM, Haaland or Haaland-caliber cF), I reckon even with Messi going we will be able to make only one of those buys, two if Griez or Cou heads out as well.
I will prioritize CB and CM atm and leave Haaland or Haaland-like CF for next summer.
Depay/Braithwaite can cover the position in 21/22, if we have proper and efficient wingers on both flanks
When Messi-infused structural problems disappear both of them will look decent.

 

[Luftstalag14]

Of course we can not go full youth with our rebuild. The likes of Griezmann, Ter Stegen, Dembele and Coutinho etc. will stay, like it or not and some of them will prove to be essential in the post-Messi era to provide the experience and leadership we need. But, due to the impact of COVID and the sad state of our finances we will not be able to have big signings immediately so we will have to find players within, giving some youngsters more playing time is both necessary and beneficial in my opinion. Players don't grow and gain experience by sitting on the bench.

 

[khaled_a_d]

Which keeper is on the market and is worth investing in over other positions? I don't like ter clown much either but we have bigger problems imo

It might be the opposite.
MATS is on big wage actually, if you can sell him to an EPL while getting a cheaper GK or let Neto be starter , could be a better option for other positions.

 

[JamDav1982]

It might be the opposite.
MATS is on big wage actually, if you can sell him to an EPL while getting a cheaper GK or let Neto be starter , could be a better option for other positions.

Who in the EPL would want him?

They are all covered for GKs. It wont happen.

 

[khaled_a_d]

Who in the EPL would want him?

They are all covered for GKs. It wont happen.

Obviously if non is interested, then we can't sell him

 

[messi2140]

Jamdav here hyping the EPL as per usual , pretending that every Premier League team has the likes of Lev Yashin. Leno , Ederson and Pickford , three GK's that come to mind that are quite average. You can even put De Gea in there , that has a blunder in him every 2-3 games as well.


"Who in the EPL would want him"

 

[JamDav1982]

Obviously if non is interested, then we can't sell him

None of the teams that would spend big would be in for him dont think.

MATS wont be rated highly enough or for them to need a GK enough to make it happen.

Maybe the likes of Everton would but doubt he would go there.

 

[khaled_a_d]

None of the teams that would spend big would be in for him dont think.

MATS wont be rated highly enough or for them to need a GK enough to make it happen.

Maybe the likes of Everton would but doubt he would go there.

That is understandable, and yes maybe MATS himself not interested in trading Barca for such teams.

But I am talking about the hypothesis of replacing MATS
If it happens, I think it will be a Semedo-Dest situation.
Obviously that doesn't depend solely on us. Nevermind that we don't know how next board think.

 

[Vilarrubi]

We’re just not ruthless enough.

We’ve made out Stegen is going to be our starting GK for the next 10+ years. No consequences for playing shit, his spot is more or less untouchable. Same goes for loads of players.

Imo he’s done worse than Kepa did for Chelsea with constant mistakes leading to goals, weak mentality etc. Kepa has been dropped in big games now for Mendy. Lampard/Chelsea way more ruthless than clowns at our club.