Now or Never | The 2017-18 Transfer Thread

Farewell Masch, I think starting in China will prep him for his final World Cup and he'll be a big part of the Argentine National Team. Best of luck!

Meanwhile, Barca gets an extra 3.5-4 M for Grimaldo (already paid 1.5M plus we get 10--15% of future sale, who is moving to Napoli in the summer from Benfica. Weird that when Italian teams want Barca players they only want loans, but they can afford to pay 30M up front. https://www.sport-english.com/en/ne...aldo-but-benfica-are-the-real-winners-6574927

Still a shock that we bought Digne (for 16.5M plus variables) less than 6 months after we sold Grimaldo on the cheap (though I do understand that Grimaldo held the cards at that time as his contract was up in the summer, so our cheap sale was largely to get something instead of have him leave for free). Had Lucho given him minutes and faith that he'd make the first team eventually he'd be Alba's back up now, and eventual successor. But maybe backing up Alba was not what he wanted since Alba was only 26 at the time, 28 now.

 

I like Digne. He is a very capable LB

Also I don't see Ghoulam moving so soon considering his injury hence no Grimaldo for Napoli

 

Día de emociones intensas junto a @Mascherano. Mañana será muy especial. Esperemos poderlo hacer completo!!! #GraciasMasche #ForçaBarça pic.twitter.com/6VzsdlMHJv

— Andrés Iniesta (@andresiniesta8) January 24, 2018

Mucha suerte en tu nueva aventura, @Mascherano! Fue un placer compartir vestuario contigo en el @FCBarcelona. #GraciasMasche https://t.co/PRfNqis62V

— David Villa (@Guaje7Villa) January 24, 2018

Gracias por tu profesionalidad y tu forma de entender el deporte, siempre anteponiendo el equipo a todo. Al retirarme en 2014 se que dejé la defensa del @fcbarcelona en buenas manos. Te deseo lo mejor amigo @mascherano #GraciasMasche #pasionporeldeporte pic.twitter.com/rByZ5veJjL

— Carles Puyol (@Carles5puyol) January 24, 2018

 

We’re linked with Arthur Melo and he plays just like Xavi.

 

Ballou transfer confirmed, to Barca B, will hopefully help Barca B stay up in Segunda and may also one day make the big club too, time will tell on both fronts:
http://www.espn.com/soccer/soccer-t...ntreal-impact-teenager-ballou-jean-yves-tabla

It's been a busy month for Barca B, with Ballou becoming their fourth winter signing after the arrivals of Martin Hongla, Christian Rivera and Nahuel.

 

i think Zlatan is also 6'5"

 

If Mina pans out, I do wonder if the de Ligt rumors end.

Judging from the handful of Ajax games I've seen, he definitely fits the Barca CB profile. But with Vermaelan playing so well now (when fit), do we really need and have room for 5 central defenders?

 

No room for 5, but Verm is 32 and only under contract till 2019, so we will need a 4th by that summer. But that is when Marlon's loan to Nice ends, so if Mina has panned out and Marlon has impressed in France we are all set with 4 CBs still. There is also Barca B and lower rungs of La Masia, for potential help.

But if Mina doesn't pan out, or Marlon doesn't look up to being a Barca player, then we probably are in the market by next summer (2019).

 

Interesting to note that our average attentive way down this season !!

I think it reflects our disappointing playing style .

Sure we are winning ( although our competitors seem determined to help us along ) .. but our play hasn't been sparkling like in past years .

Maybe the arrival of Coutinho will add some more magic !!

 

Our playing style is just fine. What are you talking about?

 

Compared to the glory days !?

Come on .. we are playing Rakitic and Paulhino and worse players getting games for us ... check on some old teamsheets and footage .

As I said with Coutinho here and Dembele nearly ready we should get a lot better.


Why do you think the attendances are so low ??

 

We play a different style now, but not all that radically different. The style still bases on quick passing and possession. Rakitic is solid, Paulinho is solid. Neither is Xavi, but teamsheets of any year have had their share of others-than-Xavi. It wasn't all dandy all the time before either.

I don't know exactly, but then I'm not an expert on the subject. It's a combination of many things why people attend leisure events such as concerts, sports events etc. I'd guess the political situation in Catalonia and its effect on tourism have more to do with the attendance number than our playing style, though. I'd also guess that - on average - good results drive the attendance higher whereas bad results drive them lower. People want style, of course, especially in places in like Barcelona, but results matter a lot.

 

I’m not sure what you’re comparing it to (2009-2011 or last year) but keep in mind most of our big / attractive home games are still to come (Madrid, Atlético, Chelsea). We also didn’t draw any attractive rivals in Copa like in some previous seasons.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the super cup result combined with Neymar’s exit turned people off. At least until November when it looked like it might be a good season afterall.
In general, I would expect attendance to be higher in the last 3 months of a season (weather gets better, more tourists, games increase in importance, etc.).

Also, not sure but seems like we have more 20h45 kick offs this season. I know that the afternoon kick off times tend to draw bigger numbers as people bring their entire family to the stadium.

So yeah, potentially many factors.

 

There was a bit of a plea in Sport about attending Camp Nou: https://www.sport-english.com/en/news/opinion/the-sin-of-not-going-to-camp-nou-6583201

 

Deulofeu rumored heading to Watford (mid-table EPL) for a loan, we'd like loan to require purchase in summer, but Watford is resisting. More distressingly, it has emerged that by invoking our right to buy Deulofeu back from Everton we (1) cannot sell him till summer 2018 (seemingly a loan may be allowed), and (2) if we then sell him Everton may have the right to match terms (first refusal), and may also be entitled to a share of the sale price (hopefully only to the extent it exceeds the 12M we paid to buy him back). Good lord we can do bad business at times. http://www.hertfordshiremercury.co....ransfer-talk-watford-linked-barcelona-1131726

 

Especially when the business centers around Catalan players. The red & yellow striped spazzo glasses that the Board members slip on whenever negotiating deals connected to such players seems to enable others to take them for fools.

 

Masia players are tricky to sell for good money by default, though.

I mean, either a player is so good that he makes it to the first team and gets enough minutes to be happy. This is rare. Or he doesn't, and then every buyer knows we either sell cheaply or keep a player we don't really rate.

 

So far, out of that potential of €130mn in sales revenue we have generated €5mn (for selling a club legend)!

 

Sad but true, at least we still have Rakitic, whom we count on, Aleix, and Gomes. I don't rate Gomes but he does have value. Aleix is good when given minutes. Rakitic is good to great. And IF Inter makes CL we may actually get more for Rafinha than the 20 forecast (35+3.5 supposedly). And for better or worse we still own most of the rights to re-sell Deulofeu and Arda (though Everton and Arda's new club share in part of sale proceeds).

 

Keep on dreaming! Only Barca player that potentially could bring in a "decent" transfer fee is Yum Titties. Barça boards since the beginning of time are useless at selling. They are all schooled to devaluation of players and loaning them out except for a few cases.

Edit. Umtiti that is [emoji23]