Brahim Diaz - 2018/19 Performances

[domalino]

But he HAS been called up to the U19 and U21 before, seems strange to stop now. Those were also when he was playing EDS, its much better that he actually plays some senior games.

These are the midfield & forward players Brahim is competing for a squad place with at Spains u21 level:


Fabian Ruiz - 60 top flight games for Betis, now starting every week for Napoli
Oyazarbal - 95 La Liga games.
Carlos Soler - 67 La Liga apps for Valencia, 4 CL games this season.
Jose Pozo - 108 second division games for Almeria, now starting every week in La Liga for Rayo.
Alejandro Pozo - 81 second division games.
Marc Roca - 50 la liga games for Espanyol.
Alfonso Pedraza - 92 games in La Liga, Europa League and Championship.
Borja Mayoral - 45 La Liga and Bundesliga games for Wolfsburg and Real Madrid.

In comparison Brahim has 5 League appearances..

This is what happens at u21 level across Europe. In u16, u17, u18, u19 level games, English club products can compete because everyone is playing youth games or B team games. Then you make the step up to u21 and the English club's kid has a dozen appearances, while their Spanish equivalent are racking up dozens and dozens of senior games.

To be fair, he's about a year younger than most of those, but look at the numbers - he's not going to get close to that in 12-18 months time.

This is one of the recurring reasons why successful England youth teams don't become successful senior teams. It's one of the reasons people are so desperate to see the u17 world cup winning side get playing time over the next 12-18 months.

 

[cjn]

He's well within his rights to leave the club in the summer, but man I hope he doesn't go to Madrid. Playing games for Castilla isn't going to do anything for him.

 

[domalino]

He's well within his rights to leave the club in the summer, but man I hope he doesn't go to Madrid. Playing games for Castilla isn't going to do anything for him.

They will send him out on loan and then bring him back, like they did with Asensio & Casemiro.

It's a well worn path into Madrid's first team, and that's probably what Brahim wants - not to play every week right now, but to feel like he's on a pathway to the first team.

 

[cjn]

They will send him out on loan and then bring him back, like they did with Asensio & Casemiro.

Then what? They've got Asensio and Vinicius there with Rodrygo coming next summer. They're going to buy a big name attacker at some point also. I guess it's possible with some luck but he'd be much better served in my opinion taking a step down to somewhere like Betis and actually playing games.

 

[domalino]

Then what? They've got Asensio and Vinicius there with Rodrygo coming next summer. They're going to buy a big name attacker at some point also. I guess it's possible with some luck but he'd be much better served in my opinion taking a step down to somewhere like Betis and actually playing games.

He'll probably be at somewhere like Betis playing games on loan. Look at where the others went.

Carvajal - Leverkusen.
Casemiro - Porto.
Asensio - Espanyol.
Llorente - Alaves.

Hakimi is at Dortmund currently, Mayoral is at Levante. They do good loans.

He'll probably play every week at a La Liga club, and he's got the best of both worlds. Regular football and a parent club who've shown repeatedly that a loan is a pathway into the first team.

 

[cjn]

He'll probably be at somewhere like Betis playing games on loan. Look at where the others went.

Carvajal - Leverkusen.
Casemiro - Porto.
Asensio - Espanyol.
Llorente - Alaves.

Hakimi is at Dortmund currently, Mayoral is at Levante. They do good loans.

He'll probably play every week at a La Liga club, and he's got the best of both worlds. Regular football and a parent club who've shown repeatedly that a loan is a pathway into the first team.

Fair enough...kind of raises the question why our loans have been so hit and miss recently. We can't even get our guys regular minutes at a club we own.

 

[taleofbluehalves]

I can’t blame him. Shame we didn’t sell him a year or so with a view to buy back after a few years. We are so strong he’s very little chance to play.

 

[Cobwebcat]

Such a shame.

 

[domalino]

Fair enough...kind of raises the question why our loans have been so hit and miss recently. We can't even get our guys regular minutes at a club we own.

Well it's not just that some of the loans are bad, even the really great ones don't lead anywhere.

 

[twosips]

Well it's not just that some of the loans are bad, even the really great ones don't lead anywhere.

Oh they do lead somewhere! A transfer away from City with an initial fee somewhere between £2-£10m (with alleged additional add-ons/buy-backs/sell on clauses etc etc) of course.