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

I’m shocked we didn’t try for Godin tbh

 

Not to say we should or shouldn't, but in our situation, wouldn't it actually be better to sign a player who plays two spots, LW and ST? If we sign a pure striker, Dembele has no back-up (unless we keep Coutinho), if we sign LW, Suarez has no back-up. Griezmann would kinda solve this.

 

Being as prominent as he has been, the club had to consider him at some point (maybe multiple times) but he is 33. Hardly the ideal age, if we're planning to turn a new leaf. Maybe prefer going for some 19 year old Dutch CB.

 

Maybe if we’d have shown some interest in him Le Ligt wouldn’t be playing hardball with us ??

 

Well, there's quite a gap in quality between Malcom and Griezmann. Malcom indeed is a no-special back-up, whereas Griezmann would make us a team with four "big" attackers, enabling rotations that don't lower the level too much.

 

I don't know. One would expect a player (especially with an agent like Raiola) to feel out different clubs a little, in cases when there is heavy demand. With so many others interested, I think the options are/were always either "get De Ligt after hardball" and "don't get De Ligt".

 

Coutinho, Griezmann and De Ligt lead the headlines today. Coutinho to Chelsea as Hazard replacement is gaining steam by the hour. Griezmann and De Ligt both considered to be in a very advanced stage to Barcelona.

Tottenham are asking for Bale in return for sending Eriksen to Madrid. Atleti have Dybala and Icardi lined up to replace Griezmann.

 

Didn't Chelsea get a transfer ban?

 

Yeah, definitely a natural time for papers to throw around names to Barca, why not Griezmann, when we're fresh from the Anfield fiasco and there are no meaningful games. Could definitely be a lot of smoke and just a little or no fire at all. Either way, doesn't hurt the club to have rumours.

I agree we haven't seen too much from Malcom. But realistically, when we talk about Barca attackers who can play big minutes and be a real threat to big opponents, I see Griezmann be that, Malcom not. Basically, Barca seems one level too high for him, especially at this point of his career: he can't play much here, which slows down the development. Griezmann is one of the best attackers in the world, knows Liga, isn't too old (born same year than, say, Firmino) and his natural style should suit us nicely.

 

They will be permitted to replace Hazard.

 

My dream transfer for Barcelona would be Joshua Kimmich for right back, but it's a long shot Bayern entertain any approach. I wonder if Coutinho could be used in any way to improve this position. Coutinho has been lightly linked to Bayern as a replacement for James.

This is still the glaring hole in the Barcelona line up. Sergi is not a right back and Semedo does not fit the club style. Kimmich, with his versatility and intelligence, would be the best signing we could make for drastically improving the functionality of this team.

De Jong, De Ligt, Griezmann and Kimmich would be an amazing haul.

 

I like Malcom and feel he brings different qualities to the table. He needs to play more next season. He has a hunger about him that is badly needed in this squad. Griezmann is Coutinho's replacement, so this gained steam quickly once the club decided Coutinho would go. Barcelona has openly flirted with Griezmann since he was at Sociedad. It is only surprising to me because of the way Griezmann handled last summer, and that it seems a younger (and cheaper) forward like Jovic makes the most sense as Suarez's eventual successor. The board will be desperate for a splash signing early in the window to offset supporter unrest, and Griezmann/De Ligt are apparently the chosen ones.

Griezmann's quality is undeniable. My only question with him is whether or not he can evolve his game as he nears 30. He appears to have the intelligence and technical quality to age well and maintain a world class level for another 3-4 years. All forwards have to modify in some way at this age. Messi's had to change. Henry had to do it. Totti was able to do it at Roma. If Griezmann comes, hopefully he does as well.

 

The disturbing implications of late are that Valverde most likely will continue provided the team win the Copa del Rey. If the team lose that trophy, he will be sacked. Right now, opinion is split inside the club. The majority of the board want to sack him, but the players and president back him fully. Bartomeu considers Valverde the ideal coach, and has stated multiple times he will keep him until his mandate is up. He even went as far as to "renew" him earlier this year (stupid to do so before any trophies have been decided).

It seems absurd the stakes should be so high for a Copa del Rey final. It just shows you how political this all really is in terms of the optics, and how little it is about doing what is best for the club from a strategic perspective. It all shows just how truly out of touch this president is from a footballing point of view. If the team loses the Copa final, Bartomeu will have ceded his last card with respect to the rest of the board and will have no defense.

 

Like I've already mentioned, Griezmann doesn't have the tools he used to have at Real Sociedad anymore in order to replace anyone on the wings. He's not as fast anymore and he doesn't have the skillset to get by his marker, all of which the likes of Malcom and Dembele do have, so how effective will he really be on the wings? He won't be a back-up striker and we won't bench Suarez.

Again, great player, but not great for us imo. Oh, and there's the fact that he's a douche. Here we go again with the Griezmann drawn out transfer-saga, ugh, I'm so over it. I'll support him if he comes, of course, but he'll have to play out of his mind to win the majority of the fans over after last year's muppet show.

 

I don't think this is the reality. I mean, the club might have already decided to sack him, and it's just public policy to show support until the season is over. Or he could continue, but indeed, tough to believe a CdR final would be the all-deciding factor.

Personally, I don't see him continue (but it wouldn't be the biggest surprise if he did).

 

I think you're underestimating him as a player (for us), he is a very smart in positioning himself, exploiting and creating empty spacing, playing fast on the ground, stuff that is vital to Barca game. And it's not like he is that old/slow either.

As for his douchiness, I don't know. Other than the documentary, I haven't seen anything unusual. Compare him with, say, Suarez, who came with a way worse reputation - if you keep acting normally, fight for the team and play well, people will support you.

Again, not sure we should go for him, but seeing the upside.

 

I see Griezmann's best current position as an "off striker." Tactically, the best solution I see for him at Barcelona would be to play as a second forward to Suarez with Messi occupying the free role. This seems to be more the direction Barcelona have trended under Valverde, but with Messi playing off of Suarez currently in lieu of having another striker in the team. In theory, this would free Messi from the second striker role and give him more control over build up play as well as another player he can combine with more effectively than he would with a Coutinho or Dembele. I think Griezmann would have a superior understanding for how to do this given how he plays in the French squad with Mbappe. I agree that Griezmann would not be coming in to play the traditional in-cutting left wing role (or should not be anyway) that he started his career in at Sociedad. Henry adapted to it out of necessity for Pep (and Messi as False 9), but do not see Griezmann doing similar.

 

Absolutely, Kimmich is very impressive. But surely practically impossible to sign.

 

I mean, Valverde blew not one, but two, almost certain chances of getting to the final of the CL. The players didn't do themselves any favors, but it seems to me that the coach also had a big role in all of this. When you are up 4-1 or 3-0 going into the second leg it seems to me that the mental aspect is severely underrated. Being too comfortable because of that big cushion, or having the "Messi will get us out of this". The coach needs to get them into the right mentality.

I know this is ironic seeing City's CL failures, but I remember reading that Guardiola used to be a master at that when he was at Barcelona.

 

One could think like this: a versatile world class attacker is exactly what we need, as opposed to a one-spot-specialist: Dembele isn't consistent, Suarez is old, Messi can't play every minute. Griezmann would be a signing that would solve three positions with one strike.

 

The team needs a certain hunger, energy, and tactical nous that I do not believe Valverde provides. He's a very good man manager, but outside of this quality he's very average. With Barcelona's core leaders at an age where they do not want to rock the boat and start over with coaches, the club is in a precarious position for how to proceed.

 

I disagree about the douchiness, it was unnecessary on every level. He got both the Atletico and the Barcelona fans and board in a bunch because of it, and for what? Nah, he's a douche, but that won't stop me from supporting him if he does end up coming, like every other player that puts on the Barcelona jersey including Suarez.

As far as underestimating him as a player, I'm not underestimating him at all, I'm just stating facts. I don't know if you've seen him in his Sociedad days, but he used to be much faster than he is today, I compare him a bit to Messi in that regard. Furthermore, he doesn't have the ball skills that a Neymar, Malcom or Dembele have in order to be able to rely on other abilities to get by his marker and actually do what a true winger does. This is also why I don't think Coutinho is a great winger either.

I don't think you've seen the level of resentment there is among the Barcelona fans regarding Griezmann. I read it every single day on many forums and sport websites both in English and Spanish. They won't "just" get behind him if he acts normal, he will have to earn it.