We Really Screwed the Puig: The 2021 Transfer Thread

Bonucci is a better defender than de Ligt (at this point in time anyways). De Ligt has failed to live up to his price tag and potential. He is not another van Dijk as of yet. I think he made a mistake going to Juventus. He is not well suited to the overly tactical and cynical way of playing in Italy. He would have been better off had he signed for Barcelona where he could have actually expressed himself as a footballer, something that actually made him standout as a defender. That area of his game has suffered since he made the move to Italy.

Is Haaland right for Barcelona? He looked fantastic against Sevilla, but that was with a Dortmund side that plays very a direct style of football. Barcelona are patient and methodical. They are anything but direct. For this reason they tend to go for smaller and more mobile forwards with strong technical abilities (Romario types). Then again, Koeman could be moving the club into a different direction. Maybe now is the time for a more direct approach.

If Barcelona become a more direct team, then how does Messi fit into that equation? Does he fit into? Players like Griezmann and Haaland certainly would.

 

There was a fan poll of best signings of the Bartomeu era. I'd love to see the entire list, of these top 5 MAtS needs to be higher than third, but all 5 were great signings, regardless of price (with bottom 3 listed being great values as well). What is craziest (and saddest) is that 3 of these signings joined the same summer, 2014, Suarez, MAtS, and Rakitic (along with Bravo, Mathieu, Vermaelen, and Douglas). In 6 more summers Barto could not match the haul from that one summer?

 

Absolute nonsense. Bonucci has been Juventus’ worst CB and everyone who follows Juve knows it. The “ass-tackler” is a joke.

There isn’t a list of top defenders out there that puts Bonucci ahead of de Ligt. Y’all just like to dump on him cause he picked Juve over other teams. Get over it.

He had a rough start with a lot of bad luck and law of murphy type sh*t. He stuck it through and since then has been Juve’s best CB. Then he got corona and got injured and is now slowly coming back. Give the kid a break smh.

 

that was the pre-transfer-ban-panic-shopping-spree
so, not the result of a thoughtful sporting project, just more "juggling to fill holes as they go by."
shotgun approach, spray and pray something sticks.

 

Doesn't look like voters are taking into account the price tag, which is 60% of what defines a good transfer IMO. I mean, take Dembele. He's a bad transfer only because of the price. If he cost what Rakitic cost we'd be quite happy with it.

So, surely Pedri is ahead of Frenkie if factoring-in the price.

 

That poll led me to find this article, a bit out of date now but a good run down of Barto era signings through Braithwaite (so no Pedri, Dest, Trincao for instance). https://barcatimes.com/signings-under-bartomeu-a-review/

 

They seem to be on a trip to every suitor, went straight to Madrid after Barcelona. Ultimately to drive up the price, surely. A bidding war is certain to ensue.

It goes without saying that I would love either of Haaland or Mbappe at Barcelona, but I would hate it if we had to overspend in these times of financial crisis both externally as internally. Unfortunately if we’re serious about Haaland than we have no choice but to overspend.

Let’s see what Laporta can pull out of his magic hat.

 

Just say no to Mino and folks whose dad's want to get fees too: https://www.sport.es/en/news/barca/...nds-father-and-agent-want-from-barca-11635324

Supposedly in addition to fee to BVB (over 100M for sure, BVB have said 180M I think), Mino and Dad each want 20M (each!!!) just to steer Haaland to Barca or another club, then Haaland's salary is supposed to be 30M/year after taxes (so costing the club closer to 50-60M I would guess though I don't know Spanish tax rates on the super wealthy).

Just say no to Mino and dad.

 

The genius of Team Haaland is also why I don't want Haaland on my team. They have at every step of the way to Molde, to Salzburg, to BVB, insisted on lower than usual buy out clauses, which give them the upper hand (not the club) in getting to control where Erling plays and also get better wages for him and better fees for themselves (dad Alfie and super-agent pizza king Mino Raiola). It is good business but not in club's best interest:
https://www.espn.com/soccer/blog-ma...onomics-and-release-clause-say-not-until-2022

 

At this point I am thinking that we should spend what money we have on a world class manager. Its enough already with the hiring of ex-players that try to minimize the club's downward trajectory for a season or two. Time for top manager with a long-term plan.

 

Which one do you think of now???

 

What to believe ..

Sergio Aguero has reportedly told close friends and family that he will be joining Spanish giants Barcelona next season.
::::
Neymar is willing to accept a huge wage cut to rejoin Barcelona from PSG this summer. (Marca)
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Barcelona are closing on the free transfer signing of Memphis Depay, with the player an ‘express wish’ of Ronald Koeman. (Mundo Deportivo)

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Everton are ready to rescue Philippe Coutinho from his Barcelona nightmare and will bring him back to the Premier League. (Fijaches)

 

good question, TitoTata.
Laporta is still conducting an internal audit to figure out exactly what their financial situation is. so I don't think they will make any final decisions before they see the results of that audit.
until then they're probably just trying to keep all options open.

 

lol knowing Farto he probably bought Gamestop when it was trading at $350/share.

I guess roughly speaking getting rid of Coutinho offsets the price of Kun Aguero. Depay is free and won't have the highest salary in the world.

I won't even comment on the Neymar point.

 

He has to be better than Braithwaite

 

More like he has to be way more expensive than Braithwaite, more often injured than Braithwaite, less likely to accept a role on the bench than Braithwaite, less willing to sacrifice and play wherever needed than Braithwaite. But yes, go on and sign older 'galacticos' over good squad players while we are in a financial crisis...

 

Superstars, even aged super stars, do not generally come for free on Bosman transfers. More often they demand signing on bonuses for themselves and/or their agents, as well as higher salaries and/or longer contracts than they might otherwise get if there was a transfer fee being paid to their club. The free / Bosman typically benefits the player more than the signing club, which is fair enough as the player took the risk of playing out their contract (getting injured, getting benched/booed).

 

Ah, and here was i thinking a free transfer means a player signs for a club and plays for peanuts....silly me.

 

Explicat al #TuDiràs:

- Neymar, objectiu número 1 del Barça aquest estiu

- El brasiler està diposat a tot per tornar

- Ja hi ha hagut contactes Barça-PSG. La primera resposta ha estat NO. pic.twitter.com/WqzpsCCeb2

— Esports RAC1 (@EsportsRAC1) April 30, 2021

Neymar, Barça's number 1 target this summer - The Brazilian is ready for anything to return - There have already been Barça-PSG contacts. The first answer was NO.