Rumor: Mission Impossible: Replacing Infinito ∞ | The 2018-19 Transfer Thread

Lenglet has been exceptional ever since he had to step up for Umtiti to be fair. He's made a couple of crucial, potential game-saving blocks. I know Umtiti is a beast when he's in form, however, Lenglet has done nothing to suggest a need for Umtiti. If anything, Umtiti has his knee issue working against him, and I have a feeling it won't be the last time it'll become a problem again.

I just wonder with Lenglet and Umtiti fighting for a spot, Pique being a sure starter, where that leaves de Ligt if he does come. I'd assume that's something running through his mind when making a choice of where he wants to go. Yes, he's very young, however, it's always dangerous landing on the bench solely due to that fact "he's young, his time will come". It's very important for him to be playing and continue developing.

Moreover, I don't think he can be compared to other very young players, he's the captain of Ajax, the biggest club in the Netherlands, and has a lot of experience for a 19 year old. Reaching the final of the Europa League with Ajax at age 17 and being a starter is no small feat. Neither is getting to where they are now in the CL beating the likes of Madrid along the way. Aside from this he's a starter in the Dutch NT and they have reached the nations league finals while beating the likes of Germany and France along the way. He's been up against the best of the best and stood out in most games, which isn't easy when playing right next to van Dijk, who's considered to be one of the best CB's around currently.

Oh well, we'll just have to wait and see how this plays out.

 

Lenglet still doesn't get much love on this forum (see our Man of the Match poll results), or from the France NT coach, but he has done so well stepping in given the injuries to Umtiti and Vermaelen. What a blessing. There are actually rumors now of Umtiti being sold (mostly just rumors I'd guess) and if both are fully healthy (even if we don't sign De Ligt), it might just make sense for a big fat fee.

I also echo your concern about his knee, I am no doctor but I remember reading that the problem with his knee was not something you typically see in a player of his age, more like an older person (suggesting it is not the last we hear of it). So maybe sell high, especially if we sign De Ligt and keep Todibo.

Finally, I keep harping on this but whomever we buy or sell, or if we just go forward with Pique, Todibo, Lenglet, and Umtiti, the keys to keeping all of them happy are versatility as in seeing if Umtiti (or Lenglet) can back up Alba when he needs rest, or Todibo backing up DM, or playing a 3 CB backline at times. Having more world class players than spaces need not be a bad thing (not putting Todibo in that category yet, but if we sign De Ligt we arguably have 4 of the best CBs in the world).

 

I think, when players make this kind of decisions, they consider the move further than one season. Pique is 32, and won't be a guaranteed starter forever. Perhaps De Ligt won't be a guaranteed starter right away in Barca, but perhaps he will be after a year, and then he can be that for more than 10 years if things go well. I know, you can't think too long in to the future, but you have to think about it a little.

If one wants to get regular minutes at Barca, one can't have too many negatives. Umtiti is good, but knee-problems might force him out, because he can't be consistent enough, whereas someone else can.

I hope we sign De Ligt, and I assume we will, but it won't be the end of the world if we don't.

 

Well, this discussion was timely! Yikes! When can De Ligt get here?

 

Good summary of some possible sales this summer (and a re-cap of last summer's sales, a couple of which were only paid for more recently - Alcacer, and Paulinho), need to balance out the transfer (and salary) spending somehow: http://www.espn.com/soccer/soccer-t...-summer-sales-to-finance-new-signings-sources

 

REVOLUTION IN DEFENCE:



DE LIGT: He is a priority and is on track

PIQUE: He will be the leader of the defense after a spectacular year

LENGLET: He will be awarded with a contract improvement for his performance

TODIBO: A player of the future. He will leave on loan and Ajax wants him

UMTITI: His performance worries and he may have offers

MURILLO: He will return to Valencia after a loan without minutes

VERMAELEN: His contract ends in June and will leave after five years

 

It's rather funny reading people write de Ligt will be a bench player to replace a 32 year old in a year.
This I read in posts in other interested club threads too.
These people donot know de Ligt if you think he's going to sign for a bench spot.
He has a CD Orange spot to lose. Do you really think a CD that doesnot play will be put in the Orange line up in crucial matches, while we have replacements ready playing at Inter Milan etc.?
He will sign where he will play from day one. Bayern München is a club that will put him in from day one.
He's never going to sign for a bench spot and risk his Orange spot.

CD isnot like a goalie sitting on the bench.

 

Of course he will play significantly wherever he goes. But the reality is that "always starting" and "always on the bench" aren't the two options he has, nobody is talking about him signing for a bench spot. Rather, center-backs play more or play less. Only normal to think that his role would grow with time, rather fast too, if he keeps playing well. As to opposed to him already being some sort of finished product who can never sit. If he is moving to a top-top level club, there is competition in all positions, CB included.

My point was anyway that surely his decision will include some thinking about long-term, as opposed to only thinking about solely the next season's role. He has a very good chance of being a regular starter in whatever club if he plays well, meaning that I think people who think that "he will go to Bayern because he gets to play there" put too much emphasis on short-term and also somehow think he'd sit on the bench at Barca all the time.

But yeah, I suppose we will see soon. And like said before, good promising player, but not the end of the world if he goes elsewhere. It's not like he's the only CB out there, and with Lenglet playing well, it's not like our situation is overly desperate. Him being 19 is tricky too: impossible to know what kinda career he will have, how good he will be. I mean, 19 hints at greatness in a sense that "look at where he is at 19, imagine the career he will have" and while that might very well turn out to be true, it's far from the only scenario, many players have been great at 19 and turn out to be not that super-special after all. Hope we sign him, still, good player.

As for his NT spot, tough to know how much he thinks about that in deciding a new club. I'd think that he will play enough wherever he goes to keep his spot, as long as he plays well, and because of that, the NT spot wouldn't be that much of a factor in picking the club. Who knows. But basically you can't have a cake and eat it too: if you want to play for the top-top clubs, you have accept the top level competition within the club for minutes. It's not like he can sign for Bayern and not have competition there either.

 

That's very true.

 

De Ligt would get a decent amount of playing time at Barca next season IMO. Not like you must have 1 left footer and 1 right footer playing CB every match.

Ideally though he would stay 1 more season at Ajax and then come to Barca. Not sure how feasible that is but Barca have other areas to spend money on this summer and Pique could play 'til he is 35 at this level.

 

"Luka has many offers. One of those offers came in from Barcelona. Nevertheless, he is not interested in joining them right now. He is not sure about the amount of minutes he will be handed if he joins them, and Luka wants to keep playing in the Bundesliga and help Eintracht's efforts to play in the UEFA Champions League next season." - Milan Jovic (Luka Jovic's dad)

 

That’s a fair stance to take ..... nobody is gonna shift players like Suarez ( or Rakitic )

 

Definitely a fair position to take, but lets keep in mind (even if his Dad is sharing his son's view accurately) he is saying it when his current club is on an 8 match winning streak. A few losses could suddenly change one's view.

 

True ... Man United have lost four out of the last five after winning something like 10 out of 11 when OGS took over ..

 

Barca fans celebrated deLigt's goal when it came on the jumbo screen. I am 90% sure he's going to wind up a Barcelona next season

https://www.voetbalprimeur.nl/video...t-tijdens-bar-a-united-voor-goal-de-ligt.html

 

We certainly need him then let the other two fight to partner him ... sell Umtiti of course.. he wanted to leave a while back so get rid of him ..

 

Why does Umtiti want to leave the best club in the world??

 

Money was the initial reason but that was before his injury

 

I guess that ManCity oil money is too tempting for some players to pass up.

If I were a pro I'd pass on playing in Manchester, the weather is sh!tty, the food is sh!tty, the nightlife is sh!tty. Everything is sh!tty.

Gimme Barcelona anytime, even if it means less money. Sunny weather, beaches and beautiful tanned Latinas. What more does a man want?!

 

De Ligt looking more and more likely to follow De Jong | @moillorens

http://global.espn.com/football/soc...-sign-de-ligt-as-ajax-agreement-nears-sources

 

Was really impressed with DeLigt against Juventus. He was everywhere! His job was easier because Ajax bossed the midfield, but the few times Juve did get through or send a cross through, he always seemed to clear the danger.

No shots on target for Juve after the 31st minute!

 

I would say he already is amongst the world's best CB's.
And he's only 19, imagine how good he'll be in 5 years

 

Anyone watch the Liverpool game tonight ?

Notice the difference when Firmino came on in the second half ?? ( he was rested for the first half )

 

I'm guessing everyone was watching City-Spurs in the second half.
At the moment Firmino came on Porto needed four goals to avoid elimination.
Not sure what conclusions you can make when your playing a demoralized team but feel free to tell us whatever differences you noticed.