Newsletter

The right-back exposes Barça’s sports planning

BarcelonaAfter agreeing on the free transfer arrivals of Christensen and Kessie, and once the famous levers were activated, Barça’s sports planning has taken the praises for signing quickly and well. Although the striker dreamed of by Xavi Hernández was Erling Haaland – his incorporation was a chimera –, the alternative, Robert Lewandowski, cooked up by the agent Pini Zahavi and the desire of the Pole to leave Bayern, was a plan B satisfactory to coach. Raphinha also liked the égarenc – his arrival could not be explained without the bond of Joan Laporta with Deco, his representative -, although he always maintained his intention to renew Ousmane Dembélé beyond what happened with the former of Leeds. Jules Kounde was indeed a signing that Xavi wanted both yes and no. He was his first choice while Koulibaly left for Chelsea. The third way, Iñigo Martínez, remains unrenewed at the Athletic Club.

Among the requests of the Barcelona coach were also two very clear names on the list: Marcos Alonso and César Azpilicueta. The future of the left-back, who has everything agreed with Barça and has received the green light from Chelsea once the London club has already found a replacement, depends on the same factor that limits Kounde’s record: Barça still has to space in the fair play of the League. Instead, the Azpilicueta route was thwarted as Chelsea, upset at being left first without Raphinha and then without Kounde, decided to ask for another €10 million for their captain. Barça did not want to bet so hard and the defender from Navarre, who had been waiting for months, got tired of it and renewed as blue. This refusal has caught the Blaugrana sports area in a counterattack, which is now looking for a defensive right-back to cover a lack that Xavi saw only by taking over from Koeman. Dest does not convince, Araujo is a resource for certain scenarios, Kounde wants to be central and Sergi Roberto is not enough.

The sports dome, waiting to be strengthened

The much applauded planning meets this specific need in a dome that Jordi Cruyff, recently appointed sports director, plans to reinforce with scouters that comb the market in all positions. The aim is to prevent unforeseen circumstances such as Azpilicueta’s from forcing Barça to start negotiations such as Juan Foyth, the Villarreal full-back with a contract until 2026 and that the club groggy, of course, does not want to let go for less than the 42 million of his termination clause. The Argentinian, who can play as a centre-back and as a pivot, has asked for “time” through his environment once he has learned of Barcelona’s interest, while his coach, Unai Emery, recognizes the possibility that the talks will come to fruition harbor “It can affect us if there are unwanted departures through the payment of a clause. Foyth is very happy here. That’s what he has conveyed to me. We know what the club and the player think, but I don’t know what Barça thinks” , said the Basque in relation to the appearance of Barça.

Via Foyth is interesting in terms of sport, but clashes with the high pretensions of Vila-real. That’s why from Sant Joan Despí they defend to the ARA that there are “other alternatives”, including the Belgian Thomas Meunier, property of Borussia Dortmund, for whom Manchester United also sighs. For Xavi it ​​is “vital” to strengthen the two sides. As it progressed Sports world, Barça has also received the offer of Héctor Bellerín. The Catalan full-back, who is looking to agree a termination with Arsenal, has already been in Barcelona’s orbit on several occasions. The problem, however, remains the same: the reef of the fair play. A short-term inconvenience that affects prospects like Foyth and Bellerín, signings in the freezer like Marcos Alonso and an already signed footballer who is eager to make his debut: Kounde.

Both the coaching staff and the Blaugrana top brass are confident they can solve it with departures, a battle that Barça has been facing for some time. With the postponements of Sergio Busquets and Gerard Piqué stuck, it is admitted that the game is being played to be able to close “as soon as possible” the departure of Dest and Memphis. The American full-back does not have the confidence of Xavi – he left him out of the call-up on Saturday – while with the reinforcements in attack they also open the door to the Dutchman, who had to transfer number 9 to Lewandowski. The forward has advanced an agreement with Juventus, but the agreement with Barça is missing to liquidate the year of his remaining contract.

From the club, the option of transferring Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is not yet ruled out in the face of Chelsea’s growing insistence and Frenkie de Jong’s refusal to leave or renegotiate his emoluments down. Xavi’s desire, however, is for the Gabonese to remain in the squad and this, at this point, is also the player’s intention. The club is also pushing for the departures of Samuel Umtiti and Martin Braithwaite. As already explained by the ARA, given the difficulty in agreeing a settlement with the French central and terminating his contract – doing so unilaterally would not generate fair play and yes, a new legal headache for the club – the organization has agreed with him that he will be paid the difference he no longer receives with respect to the conditions he can sign with his new club. The Frenchman will continue to cost Barça money, but the team managers are confident that this will resolve an entangled case. In the same way, Braithwaite has been left without a number, reluctant to leave Barça even with the letter of freedom.

Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Trending