I have a question, why are they trying so hard? There was rumors before our interest of him being up for sale, maybe to raise funds? Also you think if tito or the board really wanted him to stay he would of played the last game to ensure his release clause stayed up? You dont get to be the manager of barcelona or on the board by being incompetent.
Maybe its a smokescreen so they can say look, we tried to convince him but he wanted the money? Im not usually one for conspiracies it just does not make sense.
Perfect to get some top-flight experience and be a starter in a top club at another league.
Will work wonders for his development.
And what's more perfect way to spend them Qatari dollars, than buying him back in 2-3 years.
To be fair to him,. he got De Gea to United before anyone else.
There is no way Thiago is staying IMO.
Id agree with you if this were a Fabregas for example, but after reading this quote i dont get the impression Thiago is one of those players who would want to return if he was happy:
"Id be lying if i said my dream was to succeed at Barca, my dream is to succeed in football"
That dosnt sound like someone who will kick up a fuss in 2 or 3 years to return 'home', unlike the likes of Fabregas and Pique i dont think Thiago feels that need to do it at barca, if hes happy and succeeding elshwere i think thats all he wants.
What id be interested to know from you and other Barca fans on here is what do you think the board can offer to convince him to stay? i dont see what a new contract solves other than upping his salary and removing the release clause, its not going to improve his minutes on the pitch which is the key issue, i dont see how you can guarantee him the playing time he craves? can you change the system to accommodate him or at least accommodate more of the midfield players pushing him closer to the team? would Vilanova do this?? can you ask xavi to stand down his minutes? would Vilanova want to do this?? short of selling one of Xavi/Iniesta/Cesc how do you give Thiago any more game time?? i just dont see how you can convince him to stay when the problem is not contractual but on field.
It would seem selling Fabregas would solve a few issues here, and i can see why most on here would much prefer it, gets Thiago closer to the team, more minutes meaning hed probably want to stay and gets you 40 odd million to spend on other areas of the team without losing a key player, unfortunately Fabregas dosnt want to leave and i dont see your board forcing him out to solve the Thiago issue?
A couple of days after he said that, he extended his stay and went on to explain, by football he means Barca, there is no other thought.
But yes, we all saw it coming, his father has always been vocal in defending his sons right (can't blame them). he just wants his sons to be successful.
Agreed with you guys, the moment we signed cesc, we knew it was over for him, but bad luck you can say. As he wasn't a finished product then.
And yes, we mightn't actually miss him at all, but all the guys here are furious because, he was smartly managed to be the thiago he is today. Barca made him, he is not that raw. He was the one who passed the famous 3 stages (guardiola's creation) of transforming a B teamer into the first class player. And he passed them in flying colors.
And then, barca transformed into a midfielder which we always lacked. Xavi and iniesta were never known to be great goal scorers. Where xavi is controller, iniesta is intruder- thiago was always known to be a blend of the two.
He definetely can control the game, has great passing range, he is very intelligence in picking a pass, Has vision to provide the killer pass (xavi checked). Besides that he is a great dribbler and is fully capable of intrusion (iniesta checked). He is a bit ronalidinish too (same samba kinda style, with tricks and manuevers and no look passes), Plus, he has a great abbility to score; great in set pieces, has a thunderbolt long range shot, and can curve the ball two ways too.
So he mightn't be missed, as much agreed, the three are just above him. BUT he was a keeper. Congratulations guys if you end up buying him. My first player on fantasy league next season, would be thiago.
Just i am not liking the idea of watching him wearing any other shirt. Followed him for ages, since he was in B team, and we all waited for him to shine. Just can't accept the idea of him rocking else where. He surely will be a champion anywhere.
As for barca, we have a factory.
exactly the points we all discussed earlier. The answer to all those is YES, if the board wants to keep him.
Mazinho said something in the lines that bringing Cesc would hinder thiago's development. Pep convince him to stay, made clear he was counting on him. Now, Tito doesn't seem very convinced about Thiago.Out of interest was this exactly the situation back in 2011? dont remember anywhere near as much fuss back then but was Thiago close to leaving for the same reasons? think that was the summer you signed Cesc?