Matthijs de Ligt / signs for Juventus, lowering their average age to 56

[Raven]

I dont get this obsession with having that of a young team. Like its a purpose in itself.
Its fine and completely great to have young players in the squad but to challenge for the PL and the CL one needs a balanced squad age-wise. We already have one of the youngest squads in the top-6. In many ways our rebuilding has already been done, with players like Martial, Lindelof, Lingard, Shaw and Rashford. Pogba and Lukaku are relatively young as well.
I would certainly not object to get Koulibaly in instead of De Ligt for example. Or even Bale instead of Sancho.
There are other transfer windows coming up and new great prospects will appear next season already. To just buy every hot prospect available this moment in time is stupid IMO. There needs to be squad management.

Everything was going so well, then you said Bale instead of Sancho. Bale is a 30 year old crock, how are people still happy to try and get him in?

 

[KingMinger22]

Not sure this has ever been proven, effective at delivering what exactly? Delivering profits? The yes, they are for profit at the end of the day. However if the objective is not profit then where is the proof of this?

I think he is alluding to the suggestion that the private sector is always more efficient than the public sector. It's far too simplistic.

Anyways, with Barca and Real's higher revenues combined with the fact they do not need to return any value to shareholders (that is, they can reinvest 100%)... Expecting NYSE-listed United to compete with them long term is much like expecting Spurs to compete with us.

Look at the gaps in wage bills. We could/would never sustain a payroll like theirs. It's almost as big as the gap in quality in the squads.

 

[Patrick08]

Torn between Koulibaly and him, but I am starting to tilt towards de ligt. It could be like our Ferdinand deal.

 

[Rauður Djöfull]

Get this guy and Sancho next summer, rest we can cope with until later if we don't have funds for more

 

[Patrick08]

City has signed some duds in the past too, for a lot of money. They've done better last couple of seasons but it's only 3-4 years ago they signed Mangala, Jovetic, Negredo, Bony etc for massive amounts of money.

Invested 50 m on mendy, he has been a disappointing player in terms of injuries and defensive wise as well. But nobody is talking about it.

 

[Patrick08]

Anyways I feel De Ligt will go to Barcelona, don't see any other club that he will want to go to

You never know. They just bought lenglet, and have pique and umtiti who are not done yet. He becomes automatic starter in our team while we will also improve in other areas.

 

[antohan]

Statements like this, said with such authority but with no evidence or context really bother me. For-profit businesses may be more effective than charities at delivering a profit (except the one's that don't and go bust), but that's not saying much considering a charity has no interest in delivering a profit. This argument usually boils down to for-profit businesses being more efficient, however most charities have only one aim, to deliver the best outcomes possible with the funds available. I don't see how that inevitably leads to a less efficient use of resources.

There are exceptions to the rule, but for the most part that's how it is. I worked with charities for the best part of a decade, ran projects in three continents, dealt with multilateral agencies, and was largely disappointed that you quite simply couldn't change the world, just firefight.

After that I spent 15 years with for-profit business, still have a rather altruistic approach to things and dislike the corporate rat race (a lot of bollocks and ineffective smole screening indeed).

But if you want to see the transformative effect of big business when incentives are well aligned look no further than Singapore. Charities would not deliver a Singapore in a million years, let alone in 50.

 

[antohan]

Barca and Real look betterrun than us in every department.

That includes their commercial department, in which they smash us on revenues. Their kit deals, for example, are much higher than ours.

It's largely because they have had outstanding teams by gobbling up the world's elite players for the last decade during the rise of social media and explosion in popularity of football globally.

Meanwhile, we were penny pinching to service our leveraged debt buyout.

I said I got the point re Barca being better run as a sporting outfit, absolutely agree. I just didn't agree with the conclusion that as we are owned by profit seeking people we can't have a well run club sporting-wise or that clubs that aren't profit-seeking will naturally be better run because they don't care about delivering a profit.

Clubs not keeping an eye on their financials are a typically a complete shambles. Look at Leeds, they didn't care... that went well!

 

[Cassidy]

I said I got the point re Barca being better run as a sporting outfit, absolutely agree. I just didn't agree with the conclusion that as we are owned by profit seeking people we can't have a well run club sporting-wise or that clubs that aren't profit-seeking will naturally be better run because they don't care about delivering a profit.

Clubs not keeping an eye on their financials are a typically a complete shambles. Look at Leeds, they didn't care... that went well!

Caring about your finances is not the same as caring about profits. If you are too profit driven as a club it can take away from achieving sporting success.
You don't have to be a profit focussed outfit to care about your finances, and obviously if you do not have profit targets to meet then you have less restrictions when chasing success.

 

[Van Aanholt's Express]

He's no angel.

 

[antohan]

Caring about your finances is not the same as caring about profits. If you are too profit driven as a club it can take away from achieving sporting success.
You don't have to be a profit focussed outfit to care about your finances, and obviously if you do not have profit targets to meet then you have less restrictions when chasing success.

The distinction then isn't with profit-seeking but short termism. If you hold a long term view profit and success on the pitch go hand in hand. Sure, if you fall into the dynamics of quarterly targets and management being solely driven/incentivised on short term financial outcomes you won't make the right decisions.

But that's not a problem with for-profit vs charity, it's about how you go about it.

Feck, Wolves scored

 

[davidmichael]

I don’t see Barca selling Lenglet so soon after signing him as unlike Mina he’s been good for them when he’s played so I think if they bought De Ligt it would be Umtiti they moved on, what’s people’s thoughts on us looking into signing Umtiti ?

Last season Umtiti was widely seen as one of the best centre backs in the world, plays on the left side of central defence, still young for a centre back, very strong, good on the ball, quick, approaching his prime and unless I missed it he hadn’t signed a new contract with Barca still so would Umtiti be a good choice ?

 

[Lucky number 7]

I don’t see Barca selling Lenglet so soon after signing him as unlike Mina he’s been good for them when he’s played so I think if they bought De Ligt it would be Umtiti they moved on, what’s people’s thoughts on us looking into signing Umtiti ?

Last season Umtiti was widely seen as one of the best centre backs in the world, plays on the left side of central defence, still young for a centre back, very strong, good on the ball, quick, approaching his prime and unless I missed it he hadn’t signed a new contract with Barca still so would Umtiti be a good choice ?

He already resigned with Barca

 

[Svartzonker]

I don’t see Barca selling Lenglet so soon after signing him as unlike Mina he’s been good for them when he’s played so I think if they bought De Ligt it would be Umtiti they moved on, what’s people’s thoughts on us looking into signing Umtiti ?

Last season Umtiti was widely seen as one of the best centre backs in the world, plays on the left side of central defence, still young for a centre back, very strong, good on the ball, quick, approaching his prime and unless I missed it he hadn’t signed a new contract with Barca still so would Umtiti be a good choice ?

Umtiti is a great defender. Very athletic and good enough on the ball. He would be young enough, but not too young. He still has things to prove during his career.

The only thing that would consern me is the fact that he is kind of injury prone.

Would be a good signing if the price is right. Raphael Varane could also be an option if he fancies a new challenge in a new league.

Im pretty sure we will end up getting a good cb in the summer.

 

[davidmichael]

He already resigned with Barca

Wasn’t sure if he did and I’d missed it but wasn’t the main reason Barca wanted Umtiti to sign a new contract because he had a £55 million buyout clause so wanted to up that ?

Umtiti is a great defender. Very athletic and good enough on the ball. He would be young enough, but not too young. He still has things to prove during his career.

The only thing that would consern me is the fact that he is kind of injury prone.

Would be a good signing if the price is right. Raphael Varane could also be an option if he fancies a new challenge in a new league.

Im pretty sure we will end up getting a good cb in the summer.

See I like Varane but he hasn’t been great this season and after winning 3-4 (can’t remember how many) Champions League titles, a World Cup, La Liga and a Copa Del Rey at only 25 has he got the desire and motivation to be a part of our long term project to be the best again ?

I think of the two Umtiti is a better fit for us for what we need as he’s much more aggressive and physical than Varane whilst also naturally playing on the left of a centre back pairing which would allow all of Lindelof, Smalling, Tuanzebe and Jones if we must to play on their far favoured right side of a pairing.

 

[deadrevelz]

Umtiti for a good price might be a good back up option if we don't get de Ligt or Koulibaly. Injuries are a concern, but hopefully Barca want to shift him to balance the books and because de Ligt is an upgrade, rather than them knowing he is an injury liability.

 

[Patrick08]

Umtiti for a good price might be a good back up option if we don't get de Ligt or Koulibaly. Injuries are a concern, but hopefully Barca want to shift him to balance the books and because de Ligt is an upgrade, rather than them knowing he is an injury liability.

Why should we buy an injury prone old player who might not be the answer to our problems. We should be prepared to outbid any suitors for the players we need. Players are not born with a barca stamp on their Butt.

 

[deadrevelz]

Why should we buy an injury prone old player who might not be the answer to our problems. We should be prepared to outbid any suitors for the players we need. Players are not born with a barca stamp on their Butt.

Try reading the post you are replying to before replying. And Umtiti is 25.

 

[Suedesi]

https://www.sport.es/es/noticias/barca/barca-ofrece-60-millones-por-de-ligt-7363625



Barça offer 60 million for de Ligt + varibales.

They expect him to cost about the same as Frenkie De Jong.

>El Barça confía en cerrar el fichaje del central Matthijs De Ligt en un mes como máximo.

Barça are confident to close the signing of the central [defender] Matthijs De Ligt in a month at maximum.

 

[Ole’s Wheel]

Spectacular lowball on Barca’s part. I’d be shocked if Ajax take anything below £100m with the current prices.

£60m for the most talented player in Europe is absurd.

 

[NJM78]

Don’t need him we have Jones and Smalling.

 

[Mcking]

Spectacular lowball on Barca’s part. I’d be shocked if Ajax take anything below £100m with the current prices.

£60m for the most talented player in Europe is absurd.

They aren't paying £60m for a player they already have.

 

[KingMinger22]

I wish we had Barca's transfer policy of the past few years.

 

[cyberman]

I wish we had Barca's transfer policy of the past few years.

We have? Both have spent hundreds of millions. Difference is they have Messi to make them look better than they are imo.

 

[KingMinger22]

We have? Both have spent hundreds of millions. Difference is they have Messi to make them look better than they are imo.

We have not bought a Dembele or a De Jong though.

Martial is pretty good but as of yet no more than that. Put it this way, he would have long been sold if he was at Barca.

 

[cyberman]

We have not bought a Dembele or a De Jong though.

Martial is pretty good but as of yet no more than that. Put it this way, he would have long been sold if he was at Barca.

We are favourites to sign arguably the best young prospect in world football this summer!
Barca would love Martial in my opinion, their left side is a problem area for them since Neymar left and it would help ease the goal burden on Suarez and Messi.

 

[FootyGirl88]

We have? Both have spent hundreds of millions. Difference is they have Messi to make them look better than they are imo.

Not really they tend to buy players that fit their philosophy - we event done this since SAF. We have been spending money without a vision.

 

[Suedesi]

We have? Both have spent hundreds of millions. Difference is they have Messi to make them look better than they are imo.

De Jong, De Ligt, Puig, Oriol, Dembele, Arthur, Jovič (if it goes through) are some exciting young talents. Messi is not going to last forever

 

[cyberman]

Not really they tend to buy players that fit their philosophy - we event done this since SAF. We have been spending money without a vision.

They've been pretty scatter gun though. They aren't a possession based team anymore, their style has shifted from Pep to Enrique to today.
I think people are going to be shocked at just how close our CL tie will be

 

[cyberman]

De Jong, De Ligt, Puig, Oriol, Dembele, Arthur, Jovič (if it goes through) are some exciting young talents. Messi is not going to last forever

But he is here now. We were told Madrid were prepared for their future with Ascensio, Isco etc and now look where they are. Bayern had their future sorted with Coman, Thiago, Sanches etc.
It's such a huge risk to invest hundreds of millions into young players. We need to hold back a bit on the praise until we see the results imo.

 

[NinjaZombie]

[QUOTE="cyberman, post: 23865333, member: 52061"]We are favourites to sign arguably the best young prospect in world football this summer!
Barca would love Martial in my opinion, their left side is a problem area for them since Neymar left and it would help ease the goal burden on Suarez and Messi.[/QUOTE]

Who?

 

[cyberman]

[QUOTE="cyberman, post: 23865333, member: 52061"]We are favourites to sign arguably the best young prospect in world football this summer!
Barca would love Martial in my opinion, their left side is a problem area for them since Neymar left and it would help ease the goal burden on Suarez and Messi.

Who?[/QUOTE]
Sancho

 

[Suedesi]

But he is here now. We were told Madrid were prepared for their future with Ascensio, Isco etc and now look where they are. Bayern had their future sorted with Coman, Thiago, Sanches etc.
It's such a huge risk to invest hundreds of millions into young players. We need to hold back a bit on the praise until we see the results imo.

It’s a risk investing hundreds of millions into established players like Coutinho or Sanchez to name but a few

 

[groovyalbert]

Have Barca signed him for £40m yet?

 

[cyberman]

It’s a risk investing hundreds of millions into established players like Coutinho or Sanchez to name but a few

But that's one Coutinho. Even then I've read they expect 80m plus when they sell him again.
This is a young side that has cost hundreds of millions to build. If just two fail (for whatever reason) thats the majority of their fees gone since they don't have Coutinhos Liverpool career to bump up the price.

Only two summers ago Ascensio had a 60m clause (I think) in his contract. Imagine we bought him then, we would be patting ourselves on the back for sorting our right hand side out for a decade and for a reasobale price too since he can only improve.
Well Barca could have half of their first 11 be Asencios for them next season. It's a huge risk to take.

 

[Suedesi]

Yeah, but on one hand you mention Asensio and then on the other you praise the operation to sign Sancho. There's no guarantees at all that we spend 100m on Jadon to solve our right side and discover that he's not the answer.

For the record, I'd love Sancho and de Ligt. We have a relatively young side that is not ready to challenge immediately for top honors in England and Europe. We're at 2003/2004 era, not 2006/8 era yet. Having a bunch of youngsters mature together and challenge in 2-3 years for the top honors would be amazing journey.

 

[Johnny Love]

Yeah, but on one hand you mention Asensio and then on the other you praise the operation to sign Sancho. There's no guarantees at all that we spend 100m on Jadon to solve our right side and discover that he's not the answer.

For the record, I'd love Sancho and de Ligt. We have a relatively young side that is not ready to challenge immediately for top honors in England and Europe. We're at 2003/2004 era, not 2006/8 era yet. Having a bunch of youngsters mature together and challenge in 2-3 years for the top honors would be amazing journey.

Splashing on young talent will always be a gamble, you really never know how they will develop and react to playing in a bigger club with bigger expectations. That aside De Ligt looks like he was born for that kind of stage though, total warrior a such a young age.

 

[cyberman]

Yeah, but on one hand you mention Asensio and then on the other you praise the operation to sign Sancho. There's no guarantees at all that we spend 100m on Jadon to solve our right side and discover that he's not the answer.

For the record, I'd love Sancho and de Ligt. We have a relatively young side that is not ready to challenge immediately for top honors in England and Europe. We're at 2003/2004 era, not 2006/8 era yet. Having a bunch of youngsters mature together and challenge in 2-3 years for the top honors would be amazing journey.

I was only comparing the two transfer policies. Personally I think we need experienced quality on the right side since we have Martial and Rashford across the line and our own youth needing a chance to play.
It just seems like we have different must have young players every summer which makes me wonder how rare and ungettable these players really are. It just seems like a risk that Barca are trying to corner that youth market in 2/3 transfer windows.
Whats the odds that all the young players that will carry a massive club like Barca in the future are ready and available with 18 months of each other?

Demebele, for example, was worth 140m because of his so called rare talent that would challenge Mbappe for Balon Dor yet here we are with CHO going for a potential 40m and Sancho for 80 odd million. Would you pay 140m for Dembele today if you had a choice of all three this summer?

 

[ThierryHenry14]

He is going to either Barcelona or Juventus. If I were him I will pick Juventus for game time.

 

[El-Manos]

Ya I don't think we'll land him, unfortunately.