Originally posted by Snatcho:
<strong>I think it's bollocks, but you also could say that Real couldn't afford Figo three years ago (remember their bankrupt).</strong><hr></blockquote>
I think that the two situations are slightly different. Firstly we do not know the exact level of debt that Barcelona have. Earlier in the year some newspapers were reporting that they were in debt to the tune of about €230 million, yet a few weeks ago, Enric Reyna was saying that at the end of this season they will have debts to the tune of around €98 million. Which is right I do not know, but it is a lot of money none the less.
What solutions did Enric Reyna come up with? Selling players? Well, that IMO is not going to generate much cash is it? And if we are talking about €60 million for Casillas, they will have an even bigger debt to control. What players do you think that they can sell that will generate any significant amount of money, especially considering the current state of the world football transfer market and the fact that some of them are so bad who would actually want them? And of course, these are players that will have to be replaced, which will probably cost more or equal to that what they actually gain from selling them in the first place. Not to mention that if they are talking of a massive clearout of players, the problems that will then create with the stability of the team and its ability to perform as an effective unit. You simply cannot go changing 5 or 6 players and expect the new team to gell. It would take time, and of course rely on the new incoming players being the correct ones for the club, that no mistakes are made in the choice of new signings. You want to give this responsibility to Antic? It doesn't solve the debt problem. It will probably worsen it.
So what next? Sell Camp Nou and build a new stadium? <img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laugh Out Loud]" /> They will probably lose out financially on such a move too. Have you seen how much it costs in this day and age to build a new stadium of that size, of that capacity, from scratch? Look at the new Wembley stadium. Around €1200 million Euros.
So, maybe publicity on the shirts? Despite most members of the club being totally against the idea in principle, it doesn't actually generate that much money does it? Look at Manchester United's deal with Vodafone, which at the time it was done was the biggest and highest value deal in football history. Yet it has only provided approximately €50 million over a period of 4 years, or €12.5 million per year. It doesn't even cover the cost of Casillas, never mind address their current debt problem. Never mind some Barça supporters wanting to sign RVN.
Who would the sponsor be anyway? Nissan? You know this joke already:
¿Por qué el Barcelona va a llevar publicidad de Nissan en la camiseta la próxima temporada? Porque nissan ganao la liga, nissan ganao la uefa, nissan ganao la copa de cataluña nissan ganao na. <img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laugh Out Loud]" />
So, there seems no immidiate solution IMO. They are a team with serious problems that have no serious answers. A team in financial and footballing decline. And yet they want to sign "world-class" (I use the term loosely) established players like Casillas. Why would any quality player, never mind Casillas, want to go and play for them? They might not even get a place in next season's UEFA Cup. Nobody can force Casillas to play for Barcelona if he doesn't want to, no matter what the deal or level of buy-out clauses.
As for Real Madrid signing RVN, I cannot see it happening. Firstly I do not think he wants to go. Secondly, I do not think that Ferguson would accept any offer other than the ludicrous, and Real Madrid would be very stupid indeed to go that far. Remember, Manchester United are very similar to Real Madrid in that we are not a selling club. We try to keep hold of our best players at any cost, and as long as they are still in the managers plans on a football level, the sums required to pull them away from Old Trafford will be very great indeed, and then only depending on if the player himself wants to go. When is the last time you can remember Manchester United selling one of their best players for non footballing reasons? Of course everyone has a price, but Real Madrid would IMO not be very clever in trying to sign Ruud.
