The Transfers' Discussion Thread : "Never Say Neymar"

neymar is a winger. Now that I think about it.
If we sign Neymar in the summer, how would the forward line look like?
I don't think we can afford to bench Villa, he's probably the only one true goal scorer that puts it in the net instead of playing fancy creative football in the wings. With Neymar we'll in a way gain more creativity but lose the goal-scoring we need.


Neymar-Messi-Sanchez
------Xavi------Iniesta
-------- Busquets
Abi--- Puyol---Pique--- Alves
-------------VV

Assuming this would be our best 11. Where would Fabregas play? he'll be a bench player? Or maybe switch it to a 3-4-3 and place Fab behind the forwards. But then again 3-4-3 tends to get us exposed in defense.
Maybe im looking into this too much heh

 

Yup, quoting myself again just to throw another CB rumor into the mix:

Barcelona are closely following Ajax defender Jan Vertonghen (24). The Belgian has a pre-deal with Arsenal but waits for Barcelona move [md]

Jan is a Belgian international who plays for Ajax and is 6 foot 2.5, and 24 years old. Things to like about him are estimated price of 12M Euros; out of contract in 2013 (so Ajax needs to sell this summer); and he plays a bit of left back and D Mid in addition to mainly being a CB. Coming from Ajax he knows a bit of Total Football, and the whole ability to play midfield too suggests that he might have the on the ball skills Pep likes in his CBs. Also he's the Ajax team captain and is left-footed too. Who knows perhaps if we signed him we might not need a left back and instead rely upon Adriano as starter backed by 3 CBs (Puyol, Jan, Muniesa) and youthful cameos by Grimaldo (I know that is unlikely). http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/vertonghen/profil/spieler_43250.html

In contrast Hummels estimated sale price is 20M Euros and he's under contract to 2014. Martinez is also estimated to sell for 20M Euros under contract to 2014. And Silva is estimated to sell for 32M and is under contract till 2016. Estimates and contract durations from same source - transfermarkt.

Of course the flip side is that we are Barca and if we are buying to replace someone as talented as Abidal (and eventually to help replace the soon to be 34 y.o. Puyol) then we need to pay top dollar and buy the best - so maybe Silva it is. Time will tell.

 

You don't lose goal scoring with Neymar. He has 90 goals in 169 games for Santos, 8 in 16 for Brazil's full national team, and that's his record as a teenager.

 

More Neymar "down payment" rumors, via Barcastuff:

Person from entourage Neymar, to top club who wanted to sound out the player: "Don't bother. He has signed for Barça." [via cadena ser]

There's a deal on transfer of Santos attacker Neymar (20) in 2014, possibly 2013. Barcelona would already have paid 14.5M. Total: 58M. [ser]

 

Neymar would replace Villa, perfect because David would be 31-32. It's a great signing if true. The kid is talented and if Pep is still managing, he will keep him in check.

 

Great if true. 2014 summer sounds late though, better make it 2012 or 2013.

That's right, he negotiated on Neymar with Ashton Kutcher and three ladies while finishing what looks like some juicy shrimps or other seafood.

 

Vertonghen is one of the best CD in the world at this moment. Barça should take him.

 

I dunno if he would be my number one pick, but he definitely should be considered amongst other candidates and I agree that he is very, very good. Probably wouldn't cost over his value either as he is more of a great player than a "star".

 

Interesting read about Neymar

"Florentino [Perez], instead of 'selling' the club to the player and the ideal surroundings that would await him and boost his career on securing his move to Spanish football, became irritated with the intervention of Neymar Senior and accused the player of "failing to understand that Real Madrid are the biggest club in the world", telling the teenager he should be grateful for his side's interest and revealing that, should the deal go through, by no means could he be guaranteed a starting spot in the first team."

"When he found out, the Barcelona president flew to Brazil and met with Neymar and his father. He told them that at the Catalan club, the youngster would feel at home, and that they were willing to wait for him, that there was no hurry to do a deal to take the player to Spain. After that, the posture in the player's entourage changed completely. Real Madrid have not even been mentioned since, while Barca are spoken of with total admiration, with Camp Nou considered the perfect destination for the young prodigy."

"Despite media leaks indicating an agreement between Neymar and Barcelona, there is still nothing concrete, although both Rosell and the footballer are convinced that a deal will be struck - and that such a switch is merely a matter of time."

 

So this more for Rosell than for Pep? It seems Rosell wants a big name signing in his book. Neymar is basically the opposite of what I think a Pep player is.

 

Typical big-headed bastards.

 

I kind of disagree. Neymar could be viewed as arrogant and overhyped etc, but he more or less IS the most promising attacker there is. Expensive? Yes, but very marketable and only 20.

Also: how come is he exactly "the opposite" of a Pep player?

 

Jordi Alba would be a good deal. He'd be the first choice starter for the LB position I assume.

 

The only question I have is if he'll strictly be a LB for us, or float around much like Adriano does? I've seen him play higher up for Valencia, and even when he's playing LB, he attacks A LOT! That would be a departure from how we play now, given that Abidal stays back a majority of time with Alves bombing forward constantly. Also, Abidal has become real adept at playing CB when we play a back 3, not sure how well Alba would fare there.
Either way, he's a quality player. Definitely strengthens depth and adds an attacking dimension that we don't really have atm.

 

There was also a report earlier today saying that Alba and Barca had agreed to terms and it was just up to Barca and Valencia to come to terms; AND that Barca and Alba had agreed that if Valencia would not agree to terms then Alba would simply play out his contract and come to Barca for free in 2013 (on a "Bosman"). The latter would have been my preference but for the unfortunate recurrence of Abidal's liver cancer. Given that Valencia now know we have to get help (so we lose some of the leverage) 15M seems fair. Transfermkt puts his value at 10M fwiw. The story does sound like tapping up, unless we had Valencia's permission to speak with Alba.

I like that he (like Adriano and Alves) can also play a non-defensive role.

Also, re CB, since I made a point of noting how Vertonghen also played DM and how Pep favors midfielders for his defense, it should also be noted that Javi Martinez played much more DM than CB (even with the Spanish NT) and it was only with the arrival of Pep mentor Bielsa that Javi was switched to CB.

 

I think 15M is slightly high, not because he isn't worth it but only because of his contract situation with Valencia. I thought we would get him for around 10M €.

Anyway, hopefully he'll come. IMO he is the best option for the LB position at the moment.

Alba, a CB (Thiago Silva/Verthongen/Martinez/Dedé) and Neymar would make a perfect transfer period for us IMO.

 

Agreed. Especially if the only one out is Keita (who will be a killer wherever he goes) and really especially if Neymar comes this summer.

 

We'll surely have to pay a lot for him since he is one of the most talented young players in the world.

But I think Rosell has showed us since he came that the club wont pay overprices for players.

Look at Cesc's case, remember how much Arsenal wanted for him and how long it took to make a deal with them. In the end he came for about the price that we wanted to pay for him.

The same thing happened with Alexis. Udinese wanted a crazy amount from the beginning. In the end he came for quite a reasonable price.

Ok Villa was very expensive. But I think he has been worth the money.

Since Rosell took over, the transfer policy has been quite different. We haven't really signed any unnecessary player or payed extreme overprices either.

 

Villa is Laporta's signing