Neymar

[blinkblue]

You'd think ter Stegen and Hummels are the obvious choices. Not sure if ter Stegen's distribution is good enough though.

 

[Joehannes]

You'd think ter Stegen and Hummels are the obvious choices. Not sure if ter Stegen's distribution is good enough though.

Hummels can't defend well enough either.

 

[Ray78]

You'd think ter Stegen and Hummels are the obvious choices. Not sure if ter Stegen's distribution is good enough though.

They might opt for De Gea or Reina but Hummels seems more of a possibility.

 

[woahmark]

Recently saw some speculation which said Barca aren't interested in Hummels anymore because he's too similar to Pique (which if true, is a good decision). If you ask me, they need a destructive centre-back. Rumours are that they were looking at Thiago Silva but apparently his wages are too high. A goalkeeper isn't extremely necessary because I'm sure Valdes wouldn't mind staying till end of his contract if no suitable replacement is found. I also think Barca aren't too bothered about letting him leave on a free because they may not find a suitable replacement, after all.

 

[adrianr]

Barca will have to find a replacement for Victor Valdes as well as Centre Back so it is looking like a busy summer for them.

If they go through the window spunking the majority of their budget on Neymar whilst skimping or just flat out ignoring buying a solid centre back there will be many laughs indeed.

Sell Thiago to us, go and buy Agger. Would be half the price of Hummels at least, likely easier to pry from Liverpool than Hummels from Dortmund, and they'd get a better defender in the peak of his career, maybe even for long enough to start training defenders at La Masia :p

 

[Ray78]

Barca will have to find a replacement for Victor Valdes as well as Centre Back so it is looking like a busy summer for them.

If they go through the window spunking the majority of their budget on Neymar whilst skimping or just flat out ignoring buying a solid centre back there will be many laughs indeed.

Sell Thiago to us, go and buy Agger. Would be half the price of Hummels at least, likely easier to pry from Liverpool than Hummels from Dortmund, and they'd get a better defender in the peak of his career, maybe even for long enough to start training defenders at La Masia :p

True, they could also sell us Messi as well and wipe out nearly all their debt :).

 

[blinkblue]

You'd think ter Stegen and Hummels are the obvious choices. Not sure if ter Stegen's distribution is good enough though.

Hummels can't defend well enough either.

Since when does that concern Barca?

 

[MSP]

You'd think ter Stegen and Hummels are the obvious choices. Not sure if ter Stegen's distribution is good enough though.

Hummels can't defend well enough either.

Last night was one of numerous examples how overrated as defender Hummels is as well why Nastasic sent Subotic to the bench in Serbian team.

 

[MSP]

I think the simplistic theory is that you wont be able to mark both of them so if you mark messi that frees up space for neymar and vice versa the problem is that in general they both like to occupy the same spaces of the pitch so it will be interesting to see if they can adapt their games around each other as they may just get in each others way.

What i find weird about this transfer is that it doesnt address their main problem of needing a central defender and another top striker which will probs be another 50m at least to that end you can see villa going and maybe pedro, the problem with alot of barcelona players i.e thiago and pedro is that they would walk in to any other team on the planet and the thrill of sitting on the bench for barcelona can only last for so long. If you assume they have a front four and 2 of those spaces are occupied by messi and neymar then that leaves iniesta, xavi pedro, tello thiago and youngsters fightin for very few spots and someone may have to go.

Neymar deal is as much marketing one as football related one.

They'll rather have bad defence again if that's the price to have another superstar that brings publicity and marketing money. Plus he is quality and extremely talented player, you just don't miss that kind of a deal if you have a chance to make it.

 

[oasismcfc10]

I have to agree that marketing played a huge role in Barca's signing of Neymar. He doesn't really fit a need for Barca, and I don't think he suits the tiki-taka style of football either. He strikes me as a player who is concerned with using his skillful dribbling to create chances for himself rather than for his teammates. But hey, he'll sell shirts and bring in money. I just don't see him increasing Barca's chances of being more successful in Europe though.