Neymar Jr.

[JamDav1982]

Yes, but had our signings gone on to do well and successfully replaced Neymar I doubt he would have been an option now. We're having to rely on Ansu who recently turned 17. Suarez has his knee issues. We barely have any wingers. Griezmann is not a great fit unless we do something with Messi's position and even both Messi and Griezmann are better playing off a #9.

No player before Neymar or any since have come close to the connection he had with Messi.

Unless someone on Neymar level which is almost impossible he would push for him and added to that the personal relationship they have plays a part.

Griezmann is pointless as a LW as Coutinho was in a team with Messi. Never receive ball early as team look to Messi and have 1/2 men in position against them when eventually receive it and as neither are type to drive at opposition and take them on in that scenario it is a waste.

 

[DonAK]

You can even argue paying 110m for Lautaro is riskier than paying 160m for Neymar given Lautaro has struggled without Lukaku on the pitch.

Might not be the #9 we need to replace Suarez.

 

[JamDav1982]

Yea, imo there's no doubt Messi likes to put a good word and influence the transfer process into bringing players he loves to play with.

It is the same for all top players at clubs though they have that influence and play on it. Nothing unique to Messi. Just when it is denied it is a bit strange.

 

[serghei]

It is the same for all top players at clubs though they have that influence and play on it. Nothing unique to Messi. Just when it is denied it is a bit strange.

To a degree, yes, I agree, but I feel in our case it happens too often. And the opinions of the veterans matter too much. The ones with the biggest decision factor should be board + technical director + manager. But you get the sense that Messi is higher in the hierarchy of power than most of these. Messi probably has a direct link with Bartomeu himself.

There is a sort of hyerarchy based on the specific of each function in the club. The players stepping outside their boundaries should be addressed imo. This is not how a professional club is supposed to be run.

 

[JamDav1982]

You can even argue paying 110m for Lautaro is riskier than paying 160m for Neymar given Lautaro has struggled without Lukaku on the pitch.

Might not be the #9 we need to replace Suarez.

Who is the 9 Barca should go for in this market?

There is risks involved in any of them.

As with all Barca signings if they come and are asked to play a different role in team to one they played to get the move then it is even riskier.

Players arrive at Barca and quickly realise that they will have to press for others, cover for others, limit themselves for others as the old core of team is protected.

 

[DonAK]

But do you see it as yet another case where veterans have grown to be too powerful in this club, and are middling into areas they have no business getting involved into?

If he really has influence over their decisions then it's nothing unusual in sports. The only reason the Lakers mortaged their future for Anthony Davis is because of LeBron and NFL QBs always try to influence their teams to sign certain players, or renew their contracts.

Good organizations are able to make good decisions regardless of outside or internal pressure. Barca is not a good organization right now and arguably never been since Laporta's last days and Rosell won the elections in 2010.

Underwhelming coaching hires, poor transfers has put the team in this situation where you have someone like Messi openly calling for a Neymar return.

 

[JamDav1982]

To a degree, yes, I agree, but I feel in our case it happens too often. And the opinions of the veterans matter too much. The ones with the biggest decision factor should be board + technical director + manager. But you get the sense that Messi is higher in the hierarchy of power than most of these.

Barca signings for most part have been better than they have performed. The biggest issue is no one having the bravery to let those players function as did before signed them.

There is too much focus on fitting those players in around the old core to plug gaps and cover for them then those players get hounded as not playing well individually.

Nothing will change as no one is going to run in election with programme to build again they just wont do it.

 

[serghei]

Good organizations are able to make good decisions regardless of outside or internal pressure. Barca is not a good organization right now and arguably never been since Laporta's last days and Rosell won the elections in 2010.

Sure, and everybody agrees with this. But just because the persons in charge are weak and lack vision, doesn't mean it's ok for players to exploit this and influence these things.

Barca signings for most part have been better than they have performed. The biggest issue is no one having the bravery to let those players function as did before signed them.

There is too much focus on fitting those players in around the old core to plug gaps and cover for them then those players get hounded as not playing well individually.

Nothing will change as no one is going to run in election with programme to build again they just wont do it.

I see an improvement since the manager change in this aspect.

 

[JamDav1982]

If he really has influence over their decisions then it's nothing unusual in sports. The only reason the Lakers mortaged their future for Anthony Davis is because of LeBron and NFL QBs always try to influence their teams to sign certain players, or renew their contracts.

Good organizations are able to make good decisions regardless of outside or internal pressure. Barca is not a good organization right now and arguably never been since Laporta's last days and Rosell won the elections in 2010.

Underwhelming coaching hires, poor transfers has put the team in this situation where you have someone like Messi openly calling for a Neymar return.

Messi would want him back regardless and knows he has been missed.

The signings have not been as poor as should have been and a large part of that is the roles they play when arrive as team built to protect the old core.

 

[KingLeo10]

To a degree, yes, I agree, but I feel in our case it happens too often.

That's more to do with the calibre of managers being hired by the board. They're small time.

RM has had Mourinho (before he was washed up), Ancelotti, ZZ in the past decade. Even Benitez isn't one to lay down, although his tenure was disastrous.

We've had Tito (with terminal cancer), Tata (Mr.BBQ), Lucho (only decent one here and still the seniors basically took over post Anoeta), EV (the epitome of spinelessness), and Setien (sort of brave but still prone to EV like preferential treatment).

Can you see any of the above besides Lucho actually dictating transfers? Now, the issue is whether this doing is mostly the board's incompetence or self-service to appease seniors and thereby remain in power. I don't think we'll know as there's evidence of both.

 

[serghei]

Under Setien so far the team is imo trying to correct the problems. But we're hit with all sorts of extra issues: short squad, injuries to key players, bad luck, poor finishing, fitness problems.

 

[Luftstalag14]

Neymar's injury problems and his declining effectiveness aside, from a purely financial perspective I'd like to ask those who want Neymar to come back:

(1) How we are going to afford his transfer fee without jeopardizing other signings needed?

(2) How we are going to afford his huge wages without jeopardizing our finances?

 

[Devils]

lol it's terrifying that there is a possibility of signing him and Lautaro for over 250m this summer.

Lmao.

 

[serghei]

lol it's terrifying that there is a possibility of signing him and Lautaro for over 250m this summer.

Lmao.

Yea. Lautaro would be fine imo, but Neymar would be a colossal error.

 

[DonAK]

Get Lautaro and Sancho.

Sancho and Ansu for the LW spot. Lautaro and Griezmann for the CF spot. Messi and Trincao for the RW spot.

If Braithwaite stays you can loan Trincao out to a team like Real Sociedad who might need a winger and have done a great job with Ødegaard and Isak.