We Really Screwed the Puig: The 2021 Transfer Thread

@celito I find it incredibly annoying that Neymar wants to move to Barca whenever PSG loses a game in CL. This has been happening annually ever since he left Barca. Now since there’s greater possibility that Messi is staying, the usual Neymar transfer pops up. He’s a very confused player and doesn’t know what he wants. It’s like he’s using us.

 

Dude has to make up his mind instead of using Barca. The more I see it, PSG move was more of a cash grab rather than him wanting to become the main man. Considering the absurd wages we paid during Bartomeu era, I would be surprised we couldn’t have paid Neymar whatever PSG offered.

 

I’m surprised that he still wants to return and I agree with your statement. He had brilliant performances against a top class team like Bayern and his first half against City was pretty good. A fit Neymar could possibly be the best player in the world if he’s more consistent. Neymar was also pretty great during last year’s CL campaign. If you ignore his weak finishing, he had all round great performances.

 

Money aside, it is clearly that he wants to be the main man and wants to win ballon dor. His style is different than his from 2014-mid 2016.

 

Depay to Barca rumors getting stronger:

https://www.telegraaf.nl/sport/2110637952/memphis-depay-op-huizenjacht-in-barcelona

 

That turned out horribly with only annual farmer league domestic titles since he joined them. This year he might not even win that title as Lille are still top of the table at this stage of the competition. He took a huge risk, and it blew up in his face.

I don’t necessarily blame him, but when you make your bed you have to lay in it too. I don’t want him back at Barcelona for reasons I’ve already mentioned. 30, injury-prone, made us look like fools when he left. Nah, he can stay there and win a couple more League 1 titles before his career is over.

 

Your post made me curious to see how his Ballon rankings have changed from Santos, to Barca, to PSG and it is not really pretty.

He debuted among the 'short list' which has varied in length a bit over time, but in the 23-30 range, while still in Brazil in 2011.

In 2011 @ 10th, 2012 @ 13th, both with Santos.
Moved to Barca middle of 2013 @ 5th, 2014 @ 7th, 2015 @3rd, and 2016 @ 5th.
Moved to PSG middle of 2017 @ 3rd, 2018 @ 12th, 2019 not in top 30 (injuries and suspensions, and even transfer drama played a part)! 2020 no award due to COVID.

So the years he played at least partly with Barca he was 3rd twice, 5th twice, and 7th once.

Seasons at least partly with with PSG 3rd once (with Barca first half though), 12th once, then left off completely. But he's rich dammit! Daddy too!

 

So Dembele for Sancho or nah? I feel like Dembele is the sort of talent that we’ll be waiting and hoping forever to really breakthrough.

Every time I’m about to give up on him he puts in a great game or two which gives me hope again until he starts sucking again. Growing real tired of it tbh.

I also think that if Messi stays we won’t be breaking bank for Haaland, so Sancho would be the next best addition coming from Dortmund, not to mention considerably cheaper.

Question is, is he that much better than Dembele...?

 

There are two sides to every deal.
We look at it through rose-tinted glasses from Barcelona's perspective. But what about the other team's point of view?
Didn't Dembele force his way out of Dortmund once he learned Barcelona were interested? I want to say he stopped training and basically halted all activity with BVB.
If that was the case, if you're Dortmund would you make the deal?
They already dealt before with one high profile player who turned out to be injury prone (Reus).

 

It goes without saying that I look at it through a rose-tinted glass from Barcelona’s perspective. How else would I look at it?

With that being said, I was half serious but also half kidding. As I also stated, the question is if Sancho really is that much better or at a more advanced stage in his development compared to Dembele. I

 

Lmao. I’d say that’s a good deal.

 

i don't think Sancho is that much better than Dembele.
also not that much cheaper than Haaland.

 

I can understand the not being that much better part, but not that much cheaper? Sancho will probably go for around 100m while Haaland is a reported 175-185 mil? With that 75-85 mil we can get another midfielder or defender. Two very good players for the price of one.

Now an argument can be made as to the impact of signing a potential generational player vs two “lesser” but still very good players and which option is better.

 

not that much cheaper as in we probably can't afford either of them.
we're more likely to sign free agents like Aguero and Memphis.

 

Sancho is looking really good though. Two goals and an assist in the DFB Pokal final vs Leipzig. Haaland with two goals as well.

We need both. Will probably get neither.

 

The reality is the club are only going to sign players that available on a free transfer. Aguero appears to have already signed, going to be positive about this, he is a legendary striker, in the modern game, as long as they look after themselves, players can play on till they are 35/36 and beyond and still do really well so I'm happy with that signing. Think Memphsis will also be on the way and probably Winjaldum. The only worrying thing is bringing the age of the team up again.

 

Barca just don't have that kind of money, personally if they were going to throw that kind of money at the way I'd much rather they did it on a bona fida superstar like Haaland.

 

Now i don't think Laporta has any idea to bring big name in summer like Halaand. Very likely it is 34 years old Aguero and maybe Garcia on defense.
That's all.

 

Will end up nothing.

 

I’m always on the fence about signing players on the wrong side of 30. This includes Aguero. I would have LOVED him here when he signed for City, or even a couple of year ago, but now? Not so sure.

With that being said, if we really cannot get Haaland and we can only go after after players that are on a free transfer than I suppose you can do much worse than Aguero.

As far as Wijnaldum goes. I really hope we look the other way and never look back. Liverpool aren’t extending his contract for a reason, he’s 30, on the decline, and wildly inconsistent this season.

 

I'm trying to be realistic, no point in dreaming about signings such as Mbappe and Haaland, we don't have two pence in the bank. In that context Aguero would be a decent signing for us, in the modern game 32 isn't particularly old, players can keep going for a very long time, just look at Ronaldo and Ibra. Liverpool aren't letting Wijnaldum go, he won't sign a new contract, on his day he is the the of high energy player that we desperately need, again in the context of what we can realistically sign he is one who falls into that category.