Frenkie de Jong | The last muppeting lap

[NLunited]

They still are paying a fortune in salaries, much higher than Real Madrid and PSG, so it doesn‘t change much for them. They can sign up a few players but they will have to sell a few high earners to get Lewandowski and co.

So, not much has changed.

 

[Bastian]

Gavi, Araujo, Mingueza, Fati, Puig, all from Barca B.
Pedri they bought at 16, loaned him back for one season to Las Palmas, and was a first team player at 17.

Clearly they're doing just that.

That's not the complete picture though. Those players are mixed in with much bigger earners, which stifles attempts to reset that money culture. They've tried to tie down Dembele all season, went for Aubameyang and Torres, latter of whom cost a pretty penny. Lewandowski won't take some pittance and the Bernardo Silva rumours persist.

If you've run your club into the ground completely, which they have done, then correcting those mistakes means starting with a completely new wage structure, which is not asking players to take a reduced salary for a season so you can kick the can down the road for a minute. And if you've got hugely gifted players coming through your academy, as they do, and they are playing next to Lewandowski and Dembele earning 250-350K a week or whatever, they're going to be affected by that.

I think it's nigh on impossible to both compete at the highest level in the short-term and fix the shitshow they've been in the long-term.

 

[Acquire Me]

Barca is somewhat finished with that deal. It’s like a band aid on a deep wound.

 

[Red Company]

They still are paying a fortune in salaries, much higher than Real Madrid and PSG, so it doesn‘t change much for them. They can sign up a few players but they will have to sell a few high earners to get Lewandowski and co.

So, not much has changed.

I doubt that’s true. Do you have any reliable facts to prove this?

Might’ve been the case previously but not after letting Messi & Griezmann go and now Dembele is also off the books. These are just the name I can remember but I may have missed a couple more as well.

 

[croadyman]

Not looking good for this deal now, expecting usual suspects to brief we have walked away shortly.We are probably now feeling like complete prats for prioritising him over Nunez.

Best thing now is to get a CM decent on the ball and also a DM to cover for that player. Need to look at the likes of Sangare, Ruiz who will definitely improve us in those areas.

 

[Caesar2290]

I doubt that’s true. Do you have any reliable facts to prove this?

Might’ve been the case previously but not after letting Messi & Griezmann go and now Dembele is also off the books. These are just the name I can remember but I may have missed a couple more as well.

They still owe Pique like 40 million on unpaid wages. And with De Jong still on their books, I wouldn't be surprised if that were the case

 

[Adam-Utd]

It really is crazy how Barca were on top of the world for 6-7 years, now they could become irrelevant.

Their management was criminal.

 

[Niemans]

Please correct me if I’m wrong, so they have sold at least €1bn of TV rights on top of god knows how much in merchandising for approx €600m?

Jesus they are desperate.

How much would a €600M 25-year loan cost?

They still are paying a fortune in salaries, much higher than Real Madrid and PSG, so it doesn‘t change much for them. They can sign up a few players but they will have to sell a few high earners to get Lewandowski and co.

So, not much has changed.

If Barcelona lowers the wage bill by 160M as they want there will be no problem with these agreements.

And in 4 years with the new Camp Nou will be generated about 150-200M more.

 

[Rozay]

Christ.. if there’s anything that can have a negative spin, you can rely on @ehsanul to post it immediately

What’s funny is you guys are probably to new to the forum to remember @ehsanul ‘s reputation in the transfer forum about 12/15 years ago. He is actually the biggest transfer muppet the caf has ever seen, he was linking us to any tom dick and harry daily.

 

[Reapersoul20]

It really is crazy how Barca were on top of the world for 6-7 years, now they could become irrelevant.

Their management was criminal.

Yeah, really crazy....could never happen here

 

[diarm]

How much would a €600M 25-year loan cost?

It wouldn't cost €2billion. Which looking at the figures being discussed, is a conservative estimate on what this is going to cost.

 

[sglowrider]

That is on a premise that we are selling De Jong purely for finances which has never been the case, it is more of an excuse to quell a bad reaction with cules.

Xavi doesn't rate Frenkie for the role he wants him to play (don't believe everything he tells in media) and has been critical even hooking him as a sub first. Frenkie himself wants to stay but he is a professional in the circumstance. He will have to face a wage deduction probably, this is far from over if he wants to stay still.

I think Xavi sees Bernardo as a player to replace him although that signature is very tough with an oil club.

Is xavi wrong in poorly rating Frenkie for the role?

 

[SAF is the GOAT]

 

[AltiUn]

What’s funny is you guys are probably to new to the forum to remember @ehsanul ‘s reputation in the transfer forum about 12/15 years ago. He is actually the biggest transfer muppet the caf has ever seen, he was linking us to any tom dick and harry daily.

That’s so wild compared to what he is now. Did the last 10 years really hurt him so much? Saying that I feel like I was a lot more wide-eyed and optimistic a few years ago.

 

[Niemans]

It wouldn't cost €2billion. Which looking at the figures being discussed, is a conservative estimate on what this is going to cost.

Could you explain where that amount comes from?

 

[NLunited]

Is xavi wrong in poorly rating Frenkie for the role?

Um, which role? He has him playing cm and am but with Busquets in the holding role.

Best spot for Frenkie is as a roaming dlp and with the players around him supporting him in that role.

Busquets is class but getting older and getting overrun at times. Imo his spot should have gone to FdJ two years ago.

I think Xavi is failing in using him properly. Build up play should go through him because he is the best at connecting defense to midfield.

Instead he is often skipped over when the ball is circulated, that is criminal. If you make FdJ the main man, you won‘t lose as many games as Barcelona did this season.

 

[diarm]

Could you explain where that amount comes from?

Someone mentioned earlier that Barca receives 175m per season in tv rights. 25% of that is 43m per year which over 25 years is more than a billion. That's without taking into account the likelihood of higher tv deals later on in that 25 year spell.

Then I looked at your commercial revenue and figured that 50% of merchandise is going to yield at least the same amount per season - probably far more.

 

[Devil_forever]

How much would a €600M 25-year loan cost?



If Barcelona lowers the wage bill by 160M as they want there will be no problem with these agreements.

And in 4 years with the new Camp Nou will be generated about 150-200M more.

Your last line nails it, thats exactly why they’re happy to still go ahead with the stadium even with all the debt they have. The amount of money it’ll generate within a few years will cover a lot of these costs. In the long term it’ll make them a power hosie again. Just look at the deal Real have just struck for hosting events in their revamped ground.

 

[caid]

It'll be fine and manageable if they start buying and paying players in a much more pragmatic, restrained manner. They seem to have mostly done that to be fair to them with all the free transfers. Lewandowski definitely doesn't fit the bill and is probably at a level they just cant afford anymore unless he's coming at a serious bargain in terms of wages though.
They need to start looking at teams like liverpool or bayern going forward. They cant afford to be as inept as us anymore.

 

[sglowrider]

Um, which role? He has him playing cm and am but with Busquets in the holding role.

Best spot for Frenkie is as a roaming dlp and with the players around him supporting him in that role.

Busquets is class but getting older and getting overrun at times. Imo his spot should have gone to FdJ two years ago.

I think Xavi is failing in using him properly. Build up play should go through him because he is the best at connecting defense to midfield.

Instead he is often skipped over when the ball is circulated, that is criminal. If you make FdJ the main man, you won‘t lose as many games as Barcelona did this season.

Thanks. I didn't want to look at Frenkie with rose tinted eyes.

 

[tenpoless]

Selling of lincensing and merchandise means they have more money now but their revenues will decrease. How does that solve anything long term? theyre still fecked, have a lot of debts in players wages alone and Frenkie knows this. If he doesnt leave now he might still get sold later. His employer doesnt appreciate him. Simples.

 

[sglowrider]

Selling of lincensing and merchandise means they have more money now but their revenues will decrease. How does that solve anything long term? theyre still fecked, have a lot of debts in players wages alone and Frenkie knows this. If he doesnt leave now he might still get sold later. His employer doesnt appreciate him. Simples.

It only shows how dire the situation is. They just are living pay cheque to pay cheque. They just need to get by. Maybe in 5yrs time, some new development pops up and then they can rake in their millions there.
Its a salvage operation.

I still don't know what the previous regime did that could have landed them into this situation -- sure a few bad buys and bad contract extensions. But to be in the hock like this?

 

[Someone]

They'll still want to offload FDJ 100%.

 

[Compton22]

It's almost assured now that some players will have to leave regardless. They've got 700-800m in levers to service debt ffs, not towards transfers

 

[Sir Erik ten Hag]

Is xavi wrong in poorly rating Frenkie for the role?

There is no right or wrong here. Xavi does not use the same formation as Ten Hag, so he does not really need De Jong.
Pep didn't rate Yaya Toure and Aguero either, although both were world-class.

 

[sglowrider]

There is no right or wrong here. Xavi does not use the same formation as Ten Hag, so he does not really need De Jong.
Pep didn't rate Yaya Toure and Aguero either, although both were world-class.

Let's hope its the same Frenkie that ETH had in the past. Otherwise, the knock-on effects will be massive.

 

[Red00012]

Is xavi wrong in poorly rating Frenkie for the role?

Probably seeing as FDJ has admitted he prefers the role he plays for Holland

 

[sglowrider]

Probably seeing as FDJ has admitted he prefers the role he plays for Holland

Lets hope so since ETH's team will be built around Frenkie. If that flops then we will re-build again in 3 yrs' time with players who may not have huge value to sell.

 

[bosnian_red]

Is xavi wrong in poorly rating Frenkie for the role?

Xavi needs Frenkie to be an advanced playmaker, Frenkie likes being a deep playmaker essentially. The opposite of Pogba who we forced into being a deep playmaker whereas he liked being an advanced one. It makes a big difference generally in terms of what gets the best out of them.

 

[GinobiliTheGOAT]

It really is crazy how Barca were on top of the world for 6-7 years, now they could become irrelevant.

Their management was criminal.

irrelevant

the amount of rubbish takes in this thread is astoundin. They’re still a big draw for marquee players. They’ve got some wonderful youth players, amongst the best in the world and are getting a top 3 player in Lewandowski potentially. Jesus

 

[sglowrider]

Xavi needs Frenkie to be an advanced playmaker, Frenkie likes being a deep playmaker essentially. The opposite of Pogba who we forced into being a deep playmaker whereas he liked being an advanced one. It makes a big difference generally in terms of what gets the best out of them.

The common denominator and wild card here will be Bruno. Both Pogba and Frenkie like to have the ball.... and Bruno. Will Bruno be able to play into space for Frenkie to pass to?

 

[bosnian_red]

The common denominator and wild card here will be Bruno. Both Pogba and Frenkie like to have the ball.... and Bruno. Will Bruno be able to play into space for Frenkie to pass to?

I think it's a much more natural fit with Frenkie. Like I said... Frenkie likes operating in deep areas and then making runs forward. Pogba likes being forward in those advanced areas already, and receiving the ball there. Same with Bruno. It's a natural grouping having Bruno with Frenkie as part of a 3, Pogba and Bruno needed peak Keane to make it work.

 

[sglowrider]

I think it's a much more natural fit with Frenkie. Like I said... Frenkie likes operating in deep areas and then making runs forward. Pogba likes being forward in those advanced areas already, and receiving the ball there. Same with Bruno. It's a natural grouping having Bruno with Frenkie as part of a 3, Pogba and Bruno needed peak Keane to make it work.

A glue guy to do all the dirty small stuff.

 

[Swordsman]

It really is crazy how Barca were on top of the world for 6-7 years, now they could become irrelevant.

Their management was criminal.

The pot calling the kettle black

 

[devilish]

This deal is done. Guaranteed. He was reticent to leave when Barca were desperate for stability financially. Now they've got 700-800 as a guarantee, there's no reason for them to pressure FDJ to leave and let's face it, even less motivation for him to push for it. The whole deal with FDJ's public comments speak to someone who was probably waiting for the result of tonight's Barca meeting before determining where to go. We have our answer now.

Don't worry. There will be plenty of players United can explore and monitor.

 

[roonster09]

The pot calling the kettle black

There is difference between hiring poor managers which results in trophy draught and mismanagement where they have to beg players to take paycuts, sell their future incomes and begging fans to chip in with money. We are not talking about Burnley where income is very low, it's Barca with one of the highest revenues in club football.

 

[sglowrider]

The pot calling the kettle black

We aren't nearly as bad financial-wise. Not even close. Just poor leadership and footballing management.

I think people seem to broad-brush our poor strategic management onto everything now

 

[mu4c_20le]

The pot calling the kettle black

Only if you are colourblind

 

[Adnan]

 

[sglowrider]

At some point, Frenkie has to just say feck it. Not staying if I am not wanted.

We have all been in that sort of relationship.