As @Kopstar says, the reasons are varied. We’ve obviously been priced out of moves for Mbappe for example when he went to PSG. City offer the best incentives to youngsters joining them, and when Sancho left for Germany, his club wouldn’t be willing to sell to us.
Germany, particularly Dortmund, is currently seen as a great destination for young players looking to break out. Excellent coaching, often guaranteed regular playing time in a top league with Cl football. They can also afford to overpay for English talent knowing that we will be willing to pay 2-3 times at least to bring them back.
With Dembele, we appear to have left it too late as he was already committed to Dortmund.
In some cases, visa’s, language and other such barriers can get in the way.
So let’s take Bellingham. We all want him here. Would he be where he is now if he had come to us rather than Dortmund? Would he have played as many minutes for us as he has already for Dortmund, probably not.
So the Coutinhos, the Gomez’s, the Sturridges, the Elliotts, the Konates, the Jotas, the Sanchos, the Dembeles, the Aubameyangs, the Dokus, the Mbappés, the Bellinghams, those types?
He might have done. Klopp isn’t averse to bringing through younger players, and many fans are always saying our midfielders never stay fit.
One of the other factors I forgot to mention is stepping stones. A move to Dortmund for example gives them playing time and exposure but it also allows them to then get another move to a club like Liverpool, and another payday.
One of the other factors I forgot to mention is stepping stones. A move to Dortmund for example gives them playing time and exposure but it also allows them to then get another move to a club like Liverpool, and another payday.
So back to ARDs original question about Fati. The wizard we affectionately called Michael Edwards would be all over exploiting any possibility to get a player like this, I’m sure.
But would Fati see coming to us as a good step in his career?
I’d argue he’d look around and think he’d be better off staying at Barca and have a better chance at establishing himself as a first 11 player there as they don’t have Messi/Neymar in his way. He’d look as us and see Salah and Mane and think I’ll still be squad player.
I would think having successfully come through the youth system at Barca and already become a first team regular that he would have little interest in moving. I’m sure he sees his role and that of the others also breaking through as one of leading Barca into the new era under Laporta. As the club unravel’s its financial problems he will be rewarded financially.
…or replaced as soon as Barca are able to start buying top expensive talents again. I think Barca and La Liga are going to be a mess and unstable place for awhile. And if we make the right offer it might well be Barca who approach the player asking him to move on. At which point any ideas of new era etc. are shattered. I’m probably just talking out my arse because it’s something that would be great (think the consolation prize for no Mbappe and now Sancho is off the market) to make sure we have world class talent at wide forward for years to come with Mane and Salah being older. By the time Fati hits 24 they’ll be older than Milner.
He came to us two years ago. We’ve developed him. He joined out youth teams when he arrived. He might now be the next big thing (I’m a believer) but he wasn’t at the point we bought him from Fulham.
Having lost Messi, Laporta is no way going to sell the new ‘crown jewels’ unless they force his hand due to contract running out.
I don’t think Barca will be in a mess for that long. Laporta is a smart man and is taking action now to get it all out in the open now so that his predecessor gets all the blame (rightly) and taking steps to reduce costs. He’ll be keen to continue promoting from La Masia as much as possible and keep tight control on transfer spending.
But nobody is wanting to buy the expensive, over paid, current “stars” and Fati is in the final year of his contract. They can’t sort out their wage bill which means, even with everyone willing, can they even extend his deal? A sale for him for a reasonable amount now allows them to pay off some more of that crippling debt. As I said in an earlier post I’m almost certainly talking out my arse. It’s just something I’d really like to see.
Well, according to Transfermarkt, Barca have the option to extend Pedri and Fati’s contracts by another 2 years. While Dembele’s contract expires next summer (although there are reports that they are negotiating a new one - presumably on lower wages).
The fact that the club have been allowed to register some of their new signings suggests that there has been some space within the cap, and as further wage cuts are expected to be announced that might open up space for giving the two of them better contracts now. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them loan or sell players either now or in January while continuing to contribute to their wages, just to save some cash.
The debt problem is significant as it is costing the club approximately 30m a year but a bigger problem is that 750m of it, is short term i.e payable within next 12 months amidst the collapse in revenues. They have just done a deal with Goldman Sachs for 500m payable over 15 years at 3% interest.
Their shirt sponsor deal is expiring in June, and the Nike deal is due to end in 2023. That’s two possible sources of cash that they can look to bring in shortly. There is also an offer on the table to buy half of Barca Corporate for 200m if they are really desperate.
