Some thoughts, observations and things of note on the De Jong transfer:
- The fee isn't anything to sneeze at, but all things considered I don't think it's that bad. If he stays for say ten years and the market appreciates as it has historically then the fee won't seem bad at all in the future.
- De Jong's wages put him in the "third tier" of Barça players. I'm fine with that considering his peers on this tier.
- I'm very excited about this signing. I suspect he'll play CM, but I love his versatility. Hopefully he proves to be a creative force in midfield. I think he and Arthur will complement each other and between the two of them they'll very press resistant.
- Sounds like the club made a really good pitch to De Jong last week and laid out what Barça had to offer compared to the competition. Bartomeu personally got involved and was part of the delegation that went to Holland.
- Overmars: "I'm glad he signed for Barça. We are two clubs that are united by our history and our style of play."
- The De Jong deal was finalized 30 years to the day the club signed Koeman.
- De Jong has said it's a dream to get this move. Even his girlfriend said as much on Instagram when she recalled a trip they took to the Camp Nou a few years ago.
- Too bad Cruyff isn't still around. Would love to hear his thoughts on the deal, though I suspect I'd have to read between the lines a bit.
The club has a lot of dead wood offload and I want to see a lot of homegrown players in the squad next season, but now I want them to go and get De Ligt.
KPB is pretty funny , you have to admit.
I certainly liked the days when La Masia was pumping out 1st team players instead of signing the Paulinho's , Andre Gomes, Arda Turan's of the world , but perhaps I'm a bit of a purist.
I think I read somewhere that in 2016-17 the 1st team had more La Masia products than Barcelona B , which is pretty baffling. That shouldn't even be possible.
Just hasn't been the same since Pep and Laporta , but it's not my club.
Seems it all started going downhill once Sandro Rosell got elected despite the 1st team success. I felt they lost their identity a little bit , and it's continued down that path a little more each season since.
I'm sure people will disagree.
They still are and have been pumping out first team players. As you know, plenty were sold. To blame Rosell and the board alone isn't accurate and rather lazy though. Thiago left after he didn't play enough under Vilanova. Bartra left after he didn't play enough under Lucho. And don't forget the players here. Thiago should have played more sure, but it should have been painfully obvious to him that it was just a matter of time. Bartra had to move for the good of his career at the time.
We're probably on the same page though. Were it down to me Thiago, Bartra, Grimaldo and Deulofeu would have never left. I also wouldn't have bought Paulinho, Gomes and especially Turan. Actually it's kind of funny because this is my criticism of Roma to a degree.
@les Habs You're right buddy, the Denis Suarez to Arsenal is dead since Barca wanted a 20 million buy-out clause after his loan and Arsenal wasn't having none of that. We could go back in for him during Summer, but Barca being super stingy AF for a second rate player.
Which position do they plan on playing him? CB or is he a successor to Busquets?
I'd say in this market that the quoted price for Denis is fair market value. Maybe if you take into account his contract length you might say otherwise, but I don't think there's a big difference.
Frenkie mentioned that Barca couldn’t guarentee him a starting spot. Management also told him to focus on developing more into a #7 or #8, with Busquets ofcourse being a lock as the #6.
Frenkie will have to duke it out with Arthur, Rakitic, Coutinho, Vidal, Puig and likely Rabiot. That’s quit the competition, but I am hoping he and Arthur become the regulars.
Yeah, I don't think the intention, at least initially, was ever to play him as an 8. I think he'll play the Iniesta role.
I think he'll get good minutes. At least one player will go, but it could also be more than one. I'd even consider letting three players go. Also though, Rabiot isn't confirmed and one of the Barcelona papers just reported today that it might not happen.
On a side note, I'd like to see more players move in the opposite direction. One guy that comes to mind is Samper. I'd prefer he got a chance with us, but never will. I think he'd slot into Ajax's midfield nicely, but you'd need a more steely defensive-minded midfielder there as well.
Rakitic is a goner. Vidal soon hopefully too
I'm guessing Rakitic goes as well, but I don't think Rakitic and Vidal both go. If we kept one I'd keep Rakitic.
I think Coutinho could be sold too depending on how the rest of the season plays out for him. His camp apparently made some rumblings and the reply was apparently "put your head down and work".
The problem with say losing Rakitic, Vidal and Coutinho is that the midfielders left after Busquets are young and inexperienced. I think the quality is there, but experience is important. Don't get me wrong, they will have experience, but only so much of it and only at a certain level.
So after giving his word to PSG, then not answering the phone while agreeing with Barca, then meeting with his PSG officials again, giving his word again for a 8M€ contract + bonuses, De Jong signed a 10M€ contract with Barca.
As I said, he's definitely from Amsterdam
There was clearly a saga there, but I'd love to see your source for this narrative.
I'm also curious how he "broke a promise". He might have verbally agreed a deal, which apparently he did with Barça while back. However he also might have changed his mind. There's nothing wrong with that in the absence of a contractual agreement. I once accepted a job offer only for my boss' boss to immediately have his assistant call me to tell me he was coming up the next day to see me. He convinced me not to leave the company and offered me money I didn't ask for. In the end I stayed and did not take the job I said I would. I handled it professionally by calling the person who made me the offer and apologizing for the situation and telling them I appreciated their time and their offer. If I could go back I'd have handled it slightly differently, but while I made a mistake I don't think it was that bad. I didn't expect my company to make such a move to keep me and perhaps De Jong didn't think Barcelona would make another push to sign him.
Keep this discussion to transfer dealings. Do not bring politics or any other agendas into this. Take any further issues with PSG and the De Jong transfer to pm.
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Not meaning any disrespect but I just found the last part funny.
