What the hell? We have a kid in contract holdout with Barca? Isn't that one of the signs of the apocalypse?
Are those the only options? I still think he should take the crack at a club that's easier to break into and whose style fits his more like Hertha may. I don't know. Haven't seen them under Jurgen. My concern would more be how inept of a coach he's shown to be, to properly utilize KDLF. He'd have to fall ass backwards into the right answer. I think @Mario Balotelli has an interesting point about KDLF being ill-fitting for a possession style. That's what the US played in the u20 WC and he struggled due to his lack of take-on ability. Might be suited to leave for a press counter team. May want to enter the Red Bull system. Feasible option for Marsch's first American player. Minamino left, not that he'd be the immediate replacement, but worth noting they're going to need a next gen.
All we can really hope for is that our players give their careers some intelligent thought. There are so many ways to go wrong, not so many ways to go right. Germany sounds reasonable, but with Klinsmann less so.
If there's legit interest and he's ready to progress to 1st team football, Konrad needs to take the opportunity. The progression to the Barca 1st team is a long shot even for the best of prospects. No shame in walking away from Barca. The Bundesliga has been great to Yanks over the years. Not only that, the league has given opportunities to young players from all across Europe. I say go. While I love and dream of a Yank at Barca, I'd rather have a prospect playing 1st team football than waiting for an opportunity that may not come.
Personally, I think this would be a good move. He’s a talent, and I think playing first team football is going to be instrumental in him improving some of his weaknesses (speed of thought, physicality). At Hertha, at least in this moment, he has a manager who will be willing to give him a chance. Unless he kills it for Barca B, he won’t get much of a chance for the first team in 3 years time.
The ESPN article claims a 3 year deal with an additional 2 year option from Barca. Years 1 and 2 would be with B and the third with the first team. If the kid thinks he can play right now, well, let's see it.
I would think at 18 the kid should be seeking first team football. He ain’t going to be playing first team football in Barcelona. He’s not anywhere near good enough. Go elsewhere kid.
I can't - The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside. Let what go? My opinion that if Konrad de la Fuente has multiple options he should consider them all? My opinion that first-team football in Germany would likely be a positive move, a step in the right direction. Or my opinion that Juergen Klinsmann is a snake-oil salesman, an emperor without any clothes, and that a KDLF move to Hertha Berlin would not be the option I myself would be inclined to choose?
Does he have enough pace and work rate for RB Leipzig? I can’t remember how fast he was and if he typically tracked back on defense. I think Hertha is a better move than sticking with Barcelona assuming Barcelona let him go in January and we don’t have a Soto situation. I do think if there are other Bundesliga teams interested he should seek them out, but who knows how Klinnsman will think of him because he’s American.
His team already played five games. Go watch how his team play on those matches; analyze the tactics used; see how he utilize his players during the game. From there form your opinion regarding if this move is good or not. Do not based on your hatred toward the person to make judgement. DON'T LET YOUR HATRED CLOUD YOUR JUDGEMENT. Thank Heaven you are not a football agent.
I suppose watching Klinsmann’s Hertha would be ideal, but it’s not as though the average poster doesn’t have some knowledge of the decade plus of Klinsmann’s performances with Germany, Bayern and the US. I don’t think that watching five more games is necessary to have a reasonable basis to form an opinion on him as a manager.
And if it is to override the evaluation of him through 3 straight failures - US, Toronto, and Bayern - then one's judgment is clouded by love from a personal relationship or being a fanboy. If one doesn't think those jobs were failures that compounds the skewed perspective.
Put me in the group that feels he should stay with Barça. Sounds like a pretty decent deal they're offering to an 18 year old, and it would seem to indicate they believe in him. And even if he fails to break through with the first team (a distinct possibility) he still keeps himself visible to other Spanish league teams, which are often happy to pounce on Barcelona's washouts. Not to mention he's already accustomed to the Spanish style of play, as well as the culture and language; the importance of which can't be understated when you think of how things went for some of our other youth prospects in Germany. Yet now he's thinking of throwing all that away to go and play for... Klinsi?? Konrad, please think this over!
Honestly he didn't look ready for first team football based on the U20 WC, but that's not an entirely fair judgment because I haven't seen much of him with Juvenil A or Barca B. You could argue that if those are his two options, they're pretty good options. If he stays, in theory he will get at least two years at Barca B to prove himself against adults, and if he's not good enough for the first team (likely) then he'll be 20, have that experience outside of the youth levels, and can make a move for first team ball in Spain or wherever. If he leaves, say what you want, but Klinsi has never been afraid of giving kids chances. And worse case, he heads to the Regionalliga and will at least get games against adults while trying to prove himself ready for the BL. Not bad options for a guy in his spot.
I'd vote for him to go to Hertha. It's probably true that playing for Barca B > playing for the Hertha reserves, but playing for the Hertha 1st team > playing for Barca B. I assume that for him to be considering this move, his camp has some indication that he'd have a real shot with Hertha's 1st team. And we know it's totally in character for Klinsmann to throw a young player out there regardless of age, experience, or pedigree, if Klinsmann is convinced he's got talent. So, if Klinsmann has indicated he's keen on him, why not go to Hertha? If he balls out there, big teams will come in for him in a couple years, and if he can't impress at Hertha, he wasn't going to make it at Barca either.
Hmm, Klondike wants him but what’s the expected lifetime of Klondike at Hertha? I’d say if Hertha believe in you enough to make what would be a modest transfer payment, go in the winter. if they don’t, sign with Barça and keep progressing. Not good at his age to lose 6 months of playing time.
Not bad options, agreed, and impossible to perfectly weigh all the factors imaginable, but still worth trying to get this right. If we can trust what Klinsmann's #1 supporter here says about Klinsmann ... If that's true, Konrad might want to consider what his future at Hertha Berlin will look like after a new coach arrives and Klinsmann returns to the front office.
i legit don’t get the idea of not going to a mid tier german club to stay with the youth team of a top 3 club in the world when you aren’t a wonder kid
Your hatred toward JK dated back to when he didn't take LD to Brazil. As a discussion forum surfer, I've never seen any poster in any forum showing this kind of bias. Even USSOCCER9527 who show the same hatred as you is able to contribute something valuable when discuss about JK. I don't see it in your post.
You really believe De la Fuente would end up languishing in Barcelona's lower levels until he's 23 years old if he signs their deal?
No, but I have a hard time seeing him force his way into the first team by age 21. Maybe, but that’s just a super tall order for anyone other than the absolute best in the world. No knock on him. I think he’s got a very difficult decision to make, but I do see the logic of stepping down the ranks to a team where he may be able to play.