Jordi Alba

[Respekt_III]

like i said, he could very easily get a 4-5 year contract if he left this summer

lets make up numbers
lets say he is currently on 6m a year contract, we offer him a 2+1 contract with wages of 10m a year
if lets say manchester united (who is actively trying to find a good leftback) comes in and offers a 8 million a year 4 year contract he would be dumb (financially) to reject manchester united

as a barca fan i would wish he'd sign a 2+1 contract but there's a good reason why you don't see players entering their 30's ever signing them.

i'm sure many clubs would jump at the opportunity to sign a player like jordi alba this summer with 1 year left in his contract he would be at a discounted price unless we are willing to give him up for free.

which brings up another point, if we don't settle this contract soon other clubs will be waiting around like crows and pressuring us more.

But will they really be willing to give a 31 year old a 4 year contract @ 8M? Im assuming it would be better for us to lose him on a free unless they're paying 30m+ pounds for him. Alternatively we could do a 3+1 deal at lower wages? Its a tough situation.

The major worry is he's heavily speed dependent, and without it he wont be as effective for us.

 

[messi2140]

Let him see how easy it would be for him to get a great long term contract as a speed dependent 31 year old left back next year.

Exactly , there is no need to make the same mistake when this board gave Busquets that new contract. Give him max a 1 year extension anything more than that would be stupid.

 

[Leo_Messi]

It looks like all the recent public "complains" and references to his contract situation have had the desired effect. Bartofeo is ready with a significant wage increase (most likely) and he talked publicly about a 5 year (!) contract extension to Alba when interviewed by Sport. Why not a 10 year long contract next time around?

https://www.sport.es/es/noticias/barca/bartomeu-por-supuesto-que-jordi-alba-seguira-barca-7248702

 

[messi2140]

Guess it's Rakitic turn to push for a 5 year extension and a 100 percent increase in wages.

 

[Respekt_III]

We might hit 100% wages to revenue soon at this rate.

 

[Sorin]

Alba deserves those money way more than Adrien "it's too cold outside" Rabiot. It would be an insult to pay carrot top bigger wages than an all timer in Alba.

 

[Arizona Scott]

Losing alba would be terrible, it would be a major hit to putting the best team together while messi still is the best player in the world. Barca cant flirt too much here with letting alba get other offers or feeling shafted, replacing him would be harder than they found to replace dani.

 

[Alik]

Losing alba would be terrible, it would be a major hit to putting the best team together while messi still is the best player in the world. Barca cant flirt too much here with letting alba get other offers or feeling shafted, replacing him would be harder than they found to replace dani.

We haven't replaced Dani lol. What are you on about?

 

[Jombi]

Losing alba would be terrible, it would be a major hit to putting the best team together while messi still is the best player in the world. Barca cant flirt too much here with letting alba get other offers or feeling shafted, replacing him would be harder than they found to replace dani.

Losing a 31 year old Alba in 2020 who has relied on pace all his career isnt terrible. Its natural as part of the rejuvenation process of our squad. The value of our squad is plummeting as a result of ageing and tough decisions need to be made.

 

[Aryagorn]

We haven't replaced Dani lol. What are you on about?

haha I know right

 

[kollegah]

We haven't replaced Dani lol. What are you on about?

We replaced Alves? You smoking good

 

[Arizona Scott]

We haven't replaced Dani lol. What are you on about?

I said it would be harder to replace Alba (e.g., there are fewer excellent LBs than RBs), I never said we completed the replacement of Alves with comparable quality. Regardless, there isn't anyone in the world who can do what Alba does and to take him out the last years Messi has greatness would be criminal.

 

[Leo_Messi]

I said it would be harder to replace Alba (e.g., there are fewer excellent LBs than RBs), I never said we completed the replacement of Alves with comparable quality. Regardless, there isn't anyone in the world who can do what Alba does and to take him out the last years Messi has greatness would be criminal.

With all due respect for Alba, who I like and consider a world class left back in particular in the past 2+ seasons, but Alves was on another whole level. Alves is one of the best right backs in history and his understanding with Messi was historic. Alba is not one of the best left backs in history. Not even close.

Moreover he will turn 30 in a few months (before this season ends) and he is a player that is desperately dependent on his pace. Without pace he is an average left back as he is limited technically and in terms of vision. Suffice to say physicality as well.

So in theory it should be far easier to replace Alba than it has been proven to replace Alves. Something that we have not done yet at all as neither Roberto nor Semedo can even clean the boots of a prime Dani Alves.

Giving him a dramatic wage increase and a 5 (!) year long extension is a mistake. His contract should not be extended more than 3 years from this summer onwards.

The club should have a policy where players who are 30+ years old cannot receive contract extensions that are longer than 3 years. Messi being the exception and maybe a few other players. That should be the default thinking and strategy if the board was a bit smart and had some long-term thinking. Not only the contract length should be regulated but wage increases as well.

 

[Aryagorn]

Alba is not even the best LB of this generation - One amongst top 5 tbh

 

[Arizona Scott]

Alba is the best fit for barca among world lbs today. His touch and vision is underrated by the comments above, as is the importance of his chemistry with the players. His defensive competency has always been better than Marcelo's. (though his shot and dribbling not close to Marcelos, they are different)

Alves was amazing at his peak, but the last two years at Barca (and of course thereafter) his defense was slipping. By the time he left Barca he wasn't the player Alba is right now nor near what Dani was. Had they acquired Carvajal, Azpilicueta, or Walker instead of trying to convert Aleix Vidal the transition would have been fine. Not saying it wouldn't have been felt, but Dani losing a bit due to age/wear even while on Barca was already felt, bringing in one of a few world class RBs would have done the job.

I am OK with 4 years total for Alba (including the remaining 1.5) with a slight wage increase--I think he is critical to round out a team with last hurrah Messi/Suarez/Busi etc. One year or 10/week wage difference should not make or break it--it would kill to lose him to say PSG, and if I were them I'd poke around (for what he could do devastatingly for them and dramatically hurt Barca in the process). Barca should add 2 years and a bump ASAP--except the forwards and MATS--I think hardest player to replace on the squad.