Scraping the Bargain Bin - The 2024-25 Transfer Thread

Discussion in 'Barcelona' started by celito, Jun 24, 2024.

  1. celito

    celito Moderator
    Staff Member

    Palmeiras
    Brazil
    Feb 28, 2005
    USA
    Club:
    Palmeiras Sao Paulo
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
    Except if his wages are high at the end of his contract he could end up just sitting on it . I am guessing his wages increases automatically as the years progress .
     
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  2. Khan

    Khan Member+

    Mar 16, 2000
    On the road
    Ok, while I work my way through my rage at those imbeciles trying to relive the stoopid Coutinho purchase by them buying a player that they don't need, and who they will play out of position in between his injuries, a question to the group:

    Who will Barça now SELL, to be able to fit in Olmo?

    AFAIK, FFP has not yet been satisfied, and so their last failed transfer (Roque) can't be registered, and nor can Olmo, as yet.
     
  3. BocaFan

    BocaFan Member+

    Aug 18, 2003
    Queens, NY
    Yeah, I mean it always comes down to value for money. If he's a really valuable player 3 years from now you will be glad we didn't sign him to a 4-year deal because then there would be that dilemma of deciding whether to extend him on a bigger contract though his thirties or risk losing him for nothing the following summer. Or you could sell him but it will be at a big discount because the buying team will only have him for 1 year.

    But if he turns out to be a dud then the 6 years will feel like 20.
     
  4. Curls

    Curls Member

    Oct 22, 2017
    Olmo is a top quality player, he'll likely slot in on the left.

    I suspect many people 'outraged' by this signing will quickly make peace with it after a few games once they notice his quality.
     
  5. Jpows

    Jpows Member+

    F.C. Barcelona
    Netherlands
    Jun 4, 2018
    I don't think the outrage is about his qualities. I think it's been pretty clear that we all rate Olmo as a player.
     
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  6. TitoTata

    TitoTata Member+

    Jun 26, 2014
    what happened to Nico Williams for the leftcwing ??
     
  7. Khan

    Khan Member+

    Mar 16, 2000
    On the road
    Hes a good player.

    He admits his preferred position is as a #10, not a wing.

    So like Coutinho, he looks like he's about to be played out of his preferred position.

    Given the finances, its a fvkcing stoopid purchase.
     
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  8. Curls

    Curls Member

    Oct 22, 2017
    lol, okie dokie.
     
  9. celito

    celito Moderator
    Staff Member

    Palmeiras
    Brazil
    Feb 28, 2005
    USA
    Club:
    Palmeiras Sao Paulo
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
    Seeing Alvarez going to Atletico hurts. Not a cheap price tag, but the type of signing this club should be making.
     
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  10. Jpows

    Jpows Member+

    F.C. Barcelona
    Netherlands
    Jun 4, 2018
    I’ve been wanting this guy ever since City bought him for peanuts from River(?). His talent was so evident. We were stupid to miss out on him. He’d have been a starter here already and we wouldn’t even have had to splash on gramps Lewy. Sucks that he’s going to Atleti. He’ll probably never play here now. Smh.
     
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  11. Ozora

    Ozora Member+

    Barcelona
    Spain
    Aug 5, 2014
    Club:
    Chelsea LFC
    Eh as i know, Hansi Flick likes to use a 10 in his team. So if Olmo plays on the wing then who play in the 10 role?
     
  12. JoCryuff98

    JoCryuff98 Member+

    Barcelona
    Netherlands
    Jan 3, 2018
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    Flick will play him centrally. That’s what some sources are saying.
     
  13. Khan

    Khan Member+

    Mar 16, 2000
    On the road
    #113 Khan, Aug 7, 2024
    Last edited: Aug 7, 2024
    Fair question. From my view, here are the extant options that would cost the club zero Euros:

    1. Gundogan. He is a natural #10, he's highly paid, he ain't going anywhere.
    2. Pedri. The guy who was supposed to start ahead of Olmo for Spain, before the injury.
    3. FDJ. He's been played out of position in a more holding role, but he's better [IMO] closer to goal
    4. Fermin Lopez. He's been doing all the "Dani Olmo things," except that he costs zero Euros, and he hasn't been as injured as Olmo.
    5. Pablo Torre. A youngster, to be sure. But, he costs zero Euros.
    6. Guille Fernandez. A 17 year old whom superagent Jorge Mendes has already signed to his agency,



    All told, another #10 is not what this side needs.
     
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  14. Khan

    Khan Member+

    Mar 16, 2000
    On the road
    OK, so who of the following loses their spot, or plays out of position?

    1. Gundogan.
    2. Pedri.
    3. FDJ.
    4. Fermin Lopez.

    Also, which one of the young jewels do you give away for cents on the Euro?

    1. Pablo Torre
    2. Guille Fernandez
     
  15. Jpows

    Jpows Member+

    F.C. Barcelona
    Netherlands
    Jun 4, 2018
    What really screwed us over was failing to sign Nico. If the LW spot is sorted it makes things a lot easier. Olmo is a versatile player but IMO his best position is at #10 which brings us to the conundrum that @Khan has presented.

    I’m glad I’m not Flick at this moment.
     
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  16. JoCryuff98

    JoCryuff98 Member+

    Barcelona
    Netherlands
    Jan 3, 2018
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    It seems like Nico Williams saga isn’t over yet.
     
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  17. Jpows

    Jpows Member+

    F.C. Barcelona
    Netherlands
    Jun 4, 2018
    The media saying that now Laporta has "taken over" the Nico negotiations. I have no idea what that means, lol. It's hard to keep your hopes up when this club has disappointed you so often in regards to signings these past seasons. I'll let time do it's thing and remain cautiously optimistic.
     
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  18. Ozora

    Ozora Member+

    Barcelona
    Spain
    Aug 5, 2014
    Club:
    Chelsea LFC
    1. Gundogan, he is old now. I doubt he has much left to play. Can be a ticking bomb if he starts most of the match.

    2. Pedri started ahead of Olmo but Olmo actually played much better in Euro. And compared to Pedri, Olmo is far more mobile and more offensive minded.

    3. De Jong has no business at no 10 role.

    4. Fermin is ok. But still not as good as Olmo.

    5. Torre will be sold or loaned and other young players develop in B team. You don't throw them into battle.
     
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  19. Khan

    Khan Member+

    Mar 16, 2000
    On the road
    #119 Khan, Aug 8, 2024
    Last edited: Aug 8, 2024
    Gundogan doesn't look cooked, and in any case, at his wages, he is not going anywhere.

    Pedri is gonna be back by Sept/October.

    Even if you don't rate FDJ, he's never ever going anywhere; he has 37.5 MILLION reasons to stay this year alone. As for Fermin, he's doing things that Olmo never did at 21 years old, AND, (more importantly) he's been HEALTHIER than Olmo.

    But more importantly:

    1. All of these players cost €0 to acquire.
    2. All of these players can play a #10, to a reasonable degree, even if one thinks that another player is marginally better.
    3. The #6 role is played by a CB and two teenagers right now.

    Here's what Olmo will cost:
    1. €60MM or so to purchase,
    2. Roughly €100MM in wages and bonuses,
    3. The sale, at a stoopidly discounted price of one or more players, because every club one Earth NOW KNOWS that Barca HAVE TO make sales to fit Olmo under the salary cap.

    All told, perhaps ~€200MM in stoopid transfer business and wages to a China doll:

    https://onefootball.com/en/news/why-signing-dani-olmo-could-be-terrible-for-barcelona-39862787


    IMO, the better use of €60MM in purchases would have been for Zubimendi, who actually plays a position of need, so that Christensen can play at CB, so that maybe one of the CBs could be sold on.

    Now? Enjoy Olmo being injured, and Fermin becoming a star elsewhere.
     
  20. Jpows

    Jpows Member+

    F.C. Barcelona
    Netherlands
    Jun 4, 2018
    #120 Jpows, Aug 8, 2024
    Last edited: Aug 8, 2024
    I believe there's a general misconception about the concerns surrounding the Olmo signing. The primary concern isn't about his abilities as a player. Anyone who watched his performances in the Euros could see that he was objectively impressive. I mention the Euros specifically because many people don't follow Leipzig closely enough to know that he's consistently strong when he plays there as well. The issue, however, is that his consistency is undermined by frequent injuries. This is my biggest concern, especially when you consider the price tag—it becomes a significant worry for us.

    Additionally, our most pressing need wasn't for a #10, even though I agree Olmo is - probably - better than anyone we currently have in that position. The real issue lies with the left-wing position. While Olmo is versatile and can play there, I don't think it's his best role. Neither Raphinha nor Gavi have convinced me in that spot, although Balde might be a mitigating factor for another season. The operating word here is 'might' though, it depends which Balde shows up this season. But honestly, it’s getting frustrating to keep relying on stopgap solutions instead of addressing the problem head-on.

    If the media reports are accurate, we’re still pursuing Nico, though I'm not holding my breath. And I haven’t even touched on what could be the biggest issue this season: the striker position...
     
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  21. BocaFan

    BocaFan Member+

    Aug 18, 2003
    Queens, NY
    Yeah, I never thought of FdJ as a #10 or as someone that would fit in a position that is mainly attack focused. Even at Ajax he was a classic Dutch box-to-box midfielder, which is pretty different from Pedri and Olmo. So, the 4-player redundancy argument seems a bit of an exaggeration.
     
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  22. Khan

    Khan Member+

    Mar 16, 2000
    On the road
    And thats fair. If we don't rate FDJ as a #10, we can say:

    At the #10, there are 3 extant choices,

    At the LW and #6, there are zero "natural choices," but a few players square pegged into the roles, and/or a few unproven youngsters.


    It still doesn't make the pursuit of another natural #10 any better a choice, even if we go from 4 to 3 #10s in the roster. Especially when there are zeroes at two other positions.
     
  23. celito

    celito Moderator
    Staff Member

    Palmeiras
    Brazil
    Feb 28, 2005
    USA
    Club:
    Palmeiras Sao Paulo
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
    Nico left out of the squad on it's way to Germany for pre-season friendly.

    https://www.sport.es/es/noticias/barca/athletic-deja-fuera-nico-williams-106796937
     
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  24. Jpows

    Jpows Member+

    F.C. Barcelona
    Netherlands
    Jun 4, 2018
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  25. Ozora

    Ozora Member+

    Barcelona
    Spain
    Aug 5, 2014
    Club:
    Chelsea LFC
    Gundogan looks a bit washed to me. Happened last season especially at the end of the season, usually lost the ball easily. And he is like 34. After many years at high level, doubt he has many things left.

    Olmo is way superior #10 to Pedri. Far more mobile, more offensive minded, can carry the ball more and can receive the ball with his back agaisnt opponent's defenders.

    De Jong, like i said, no chance for an advanced role.

    Other young players are not enough to drive the team forward.

    So compare to current attacking midfielders/#10, Olmo is better.
     
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