Thiago Alcantara

[Plain Speaking]

He wants to play regularly, not sit on the bench?

 

[kp789]

I simply cannot see why Barca would let him leave. He is a perfect replacement for Xavi or Iniesta. These players do not come along very often and they are huge boots to fill, but Thiago has shown early promise and he has been at Barca since 2005. It does not make any sense that they would want to sell a player with such potential especially with their policy of bringing through young and talented players who stay in the squad for long periods of time.

Just look at Puyol, Xavi, Iniesta, Pedro, Busquets and Messi. These players entered the youth academy and have been at the club ever since, resulting in incredible success for the players and for Barcelona.

If you have a chance to be great at Barcelona, why would you choose to leave? Name a bigger club. Anything else is a step down.

Ok, Barca do have an ageing squad, but they do have a number of rising stars including Thiago. Couple this with future investment, it is not likely that they are going to disappear any time soon.

He has a release clause that, at the moment is 18 million quid so they don't have a say in the matter. Plus he wants more game time and wants to leave. So in this case Barcelona can't do anything and it's their fault that he is leaving.

Surely he will be given assurances by Barca, they can see his talent. In himself, he would have to take a huge gamble to leave.

 

[Saif1994]

I simply cannot see why Barca would let him leave. He is a perfect replacement for Xavi or Iniesta. These players do not come along very often and they are huge boots to fill, but Thiago has shown early promise and he has been at Barca since 2005. It does not make any sense that they would want to sell a player with such potential especially with their policy of bringing through young and talented players who stay in the squad for long periods of time.

Just look at Puyol, Xavi, Iniesta, Pedro, Busquets and Messi. These players entered the youth academy and have been at the club ever since, resulting in incredible success for the players and for Barcelona.

If you have a chance to be great at Barcelona, why would you choose to leave? Name a bigger club. Anything else is a step down.

Ok, Barca do have an ageing squad, but they do have a number of rising stars including Thiago. Couple this with future investment, it is not likely that they are going to disappear any time soon.

Its not that they want to sell him but that they messed up big time by not playing him enough especially with that clause in their contract. In fairness to Thiago, Barca have been assuring him he will be a starter soon. But, its not doing his development any good. People say that Xavi and Iniesta waited there time, but thats hardly true.

Iniesta played REGULAR football when he was 20 onwards at Barca. Xavi made his debut at 18 and became a proper first teamer when he was 19 after Guardiola got injured. They didn't wait for playing time, they just reached their potential late. If Thiago stays at Barca it would be bad for him unless their coach puts him into the starting eleven occasionally. Players like Isco and Gotze are moving on to the next level due to their match minutes. Thiago will be left behind if he doesn't. But for all I know, I would rather him stay at Barca than go to United. Even if he gets little playing time.

 

[mad zab]

The thing with Thiago is he no doubt has potential to be world class, as so many of these Barca and Spanish academy players seem to nowadays, but I can just see Barca either putting a buy back clause in or otherwise Thiago just wanting to go back to Barca. If it were me and I couldnt make it at City yet because of whoever, so I went elsewhere, if City were then rumoured to want me back I would run there! Similar to Pique and to a lesser extent Fabregas, I really believe that whatever potential he has it will be Barca that profit from it eventually.

The only way Barca can profit is if he flops and then they take him back at a lower fee.

Please understand that if someone pays the buyout clause before 1st August, Barca can't do anything about it!

we do not know that for sure

Well it has been reported in all media over here and in Spain.

I am sure if this was not the case then Barca would have come out and said so.

 

[Saif1994]

The only way Barca can profit is if he flops and then they take him back at a lower fee.

Please understand that if someone pays the buyout clause before 1st August, Barca can't do anything about it!

we do not know that for sure

Well it has been reported in all media over here and in Spain.

I am sure if this was not the case then Barca would have come out and said so.

Yes, that clause is definitely there. He had to play more than an average of 30 minutes in 60% of the matches. But I think that he played less than an average of 30 minutes in exactly 60% of the matches.

 

[mad zab]

The thing with Thiago is he no doubt has potential to be world class, as so many of these Barca and Spanish academy players seem to nowadays, but I can just see Barca either putting a buy back clause in or otherwise Thiago just wanting to go back to Barca. If it were me and I couldnt make it at City yet because of whoever, so I went elsewhere, if City were then rumoured to want me back I would run there! Similar to Pique and to a lesser extent Fabregas, I really believe that whatever potential he has it will be Barca that profit from it eventually.

The only way Barca can profit is if he flops and then they take him back at a lower fee.

Please understand that if someone pays the buyout clause before 1st August, Barca can't do anything about it!

Yeah I understand how a buyout clause works but what I am saying is that he is not yet world class. He may develop into a fantastic player, and when he does Barca will look to buy him back and he will likely want to go back there. Yes Barca will pay more money etc but no doubt they will manage to get him at a low cost as with Pique and Fabregas. We need a balance between buying players already at a high level and those that have the potential to be as with Thiago and Isco. We have added Fernandinho who is experienced at playing in the Champions League and Navas who is at a peak age. Now we need to supplement it with young players who not only improve, but play their best football at City. Thiago in my opinion would not massively improve our team here and now, in the future no doubt he will be a huge talent but like I say he will probably go back to his boyhood club Barca and play his best football there.

I don't disagree with you he isn't world class yet. However, if he moves and he does fulfill his potential, it will cost Barca to buy him back unless he runs down his contract at the club he is at.

Also, by then Barca may not be the team they are now. Therefore it is pure specualtion that he would even return to Barca, nevermind at a reduced price.

The best option for Barca is to persuade him to stay now.

 

[eversince 76]

If Thiago definitely decides to leave Barca, the club could not do much about it if any other team pays the buyout fee. And if he does, we should be in there challenging for him. I can't imagine Soriano/Txiki/Pellegrini not talking to the player and his agent. And when the talking starts, we are in an advance stage compared to any other club with Soriano/Txiki knowing the player. It's the media who desperately try and hand the player over to United, as they see us moving on and on and on ...

 

[BoyBlue_1985]

dog shit

 

[Never Mind The Pollocks]

But for all I know, I would rather him stay at Barca than go to United. Even if he gets little playing time.

I'd rather him never kick a ball again than go there.

 

[St Helens Blue (Exiled)]

Are City actually after this lad or is it just pure speculation?