AjanleKoko:

That would be great for their careers. Someone like Jon Soriano, he's never going to make the first team unless Jeffren or Bojan leave.
Some of the other guys like Nolito and Victor Vasquez, they've not really been lucky, and can't keep on playing for Barca B.

Well, Barca have announced a transfer budget of 45m Euros, so its no deal for Cesc. His contract is up next year anyway. Let's see how he progresses. But for now, I'd keep Thiago and put him in the first team.
I'm tipping Luis Enrique to return to Barca in the future in any case.

Nolito has already confirmed he's going to Benfica. Vasquez will go to Brugges. Looks like Soriano might also be going - I woild have liked to see him promoted, but it seems like the decision makers at Barca love spending like drunkards.

For me no to Cesc (for now). He can come later when he's cheaper - we should not be paying so much for our youth product. Thiago will start to perform if given the chance. Cesc has developed so much simply because Wenger gave him the chance that Barca is now not willing to give Thiago - this will encourage all our promising youths to look outside Barca to further their careers.

With so many forwards likely to be on their way out (Nolito, Soriano, possibly Jeffren & Bojan), it looks like at least one forward will be added. I still feel Papiss Cisse of Freiburg (worth 15m) is a good buy. He plays like Etoo & is as tall as Keita. See his video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRqhIdZiklk

If we must buy either sanchez or rossi, I'll prefer Rossi since he has La Liga experience and will settle in quicker.

I'm surprised there are no rumours about us getting a defender, I would have thought buying back Botia would be one of the first transfers of the summer - we're chasing marquee signings once again instead of focusing on our weak areas.

I dont see a direction yet with our stakes in the transfer market. I just hope this time around, the bookers will think like they should.

Guys,
take a look at this.

AjanleKoko:

Guys,
take a look at this.

COOL.

up barca !

I suspect we'll make a move for Fabregas after the U-21 championships.
Bojan and Thiago are in the squad and will play major roles for Spain. If they shine, Wenger might not be able to turn down a 30m + Bojan or Thiago offer for Fabregas.

medjai:

I suspect we'll make a move for Fabregas after the U-21 championships.
Bojan and Thiago are in the squad and will play major roles for Spain. If they shine, Wenger might not be able to turn down a 30m + Bojan or Thiago offer for Fabregas.

Wenger should not be the one turning down an offer of 30m plus one of those 2. Barca should be the ones turning down the offer! We always get literally swindled in the transfer market - boy do we need Galliani!!!!

I say, forget Cesc for this year. Give Thiago a chance (the same way Wenger gave Cesc a chance to become what he is today) - he can come in for Xavi/Iniesta in matches and play 90 mins when we play relatively weak teams. After this season, if the club believes Thiago cannot make the cut, we can buy Fab for lower than the silly prices Arsenal is quoting.

If we pay crazy money for Cesc now, this club is finished. Youth prospects like Thiago, Deulofeu, Rafinha, etc will feel that the "Cesc Option" is the best for them. Why should they stay and fight for a place when they can move clubs, knowing that Barca will pay to get them back when they become stars. Look at Bojan - he was loyal and it seems like the club will get rid of him. Why have La Masia, if the club will continue to spend big every summer and leave the youth players on the sidelines?

I feel Bojan should be sent on loan so he can get regular playing time and regain his mojo.

Make dem sign this Sanchez in time jare, before those arab people (Man city) go hi-jack am

khanye:

Make dem sign this Sanchez in time jare, before those arab people (Man city) go hi-jack am

And before Copa America too. His value will go up if he does very well for Chile.
I'd rather we sign him instead of Rossi.

^^^^^

Barcelona at this moment offer '25M + variables' for Udinese attacker Alexis Sanchez (22). The Italian club ask '27M + Bojan'. [md]

http://twitter.com/#!/barcastuff

Come to think of it . . . how come nobody is tabling offers for Barca players, save the fringe chaps like Bojan, Jeffren, and Thiago?
I'd like to see what Iniesta's market value would hold in the market, with all the noise made about Sneijder

I can't believe Barca want to let go of a talent like Thiago. D boy is superb. Maybe you want him to gain some playing time in EPL before you get him back like with Pique.

I've not been around , wow i missed much , Anyway i stumbled on something : Messi in love , to marry sometime soon , very good one , but hope it wont reduce his performance?

sweetguy10:

I've not been around , wow i missed much , Anyway i stumbled on something : Messi in love , to marry sometime soon , very good one , but hope it wont reduce his performance?

Happy for the young man.

Thiago Silva just claimed on Goal.com that he's been in touch with people at Barca. He more or less invited them to make an approach for him at the Rossineri.

What do you guys think? Silva isn't a bad defender, and hopefully can adjust. But I worry that he will be overpriced as well.
That's just the good thing about supporting a team as good as Barca. The world's best players all play for your team already

I think i like Thiago Silva too, though he's not that tall but i still prefer him, he's quick and young too, i don't think Ac Milan is going to sell him and if they do, he won't come cheap (20M-30M)

I like Thiago a lot. He is the main reason i watch Seria A. He is easily the best player there in the last season. His ability to read and understand game is unequalled, yet he is young! I will be very happy to see him wearing our shirt. But will Milan agree?

Thiago silva coming wow wow wow ! good news , but let's be realistic Milan won't release the dude . For now the guy is the strength of the team , i wish he comes anyway ,

AjanleKoko:

Thiago Silva just claimed on Goal.com that he's been in touch with people at Barca. He more or less invited them to make an approach for him at the Rossineri.

What do you guys think? Silva isn't a bad defender, and hopefully can adjust. But I worry that he will be overpriced as well.
That's just the good thing about supporting a team as good as Barca. The world's best players all play for your team already

Silva is one of the best CBs around. But I'm sure he'll be VERY expensive. Milan have the best transfer guru around, while we are notoriously bad so if this happens, only Milan can gain.

We have about 24 hours left to sign Botia back. I really hope we exercise our buy-back, especially since Gijon got him free to start with,

Thiago Silva is too good to be a super sub,i really dont think we need him now,we have got alot of talent that can easily fit in as a CB,Abidal,mascherano,fontas,pique,puyol and even Busquet.i must also admit its a big risk playing him as a CB,his inexperience nearly  send us out of CL against Arsenal.i think Pep knows better,i dont just see us breaking bank for a CB this season.i think signning back Botia is our best bet for now,hence he is much more experience and faster than Fontas.

There's no way we can sign Thiago Silva, not with our 45m transfer budget

There seems to be a move by the technical team to sign both Jose Angel and Botia from Gijon. I doubt they'll allow their two CBs depart. Besides, I care not for Spanish signings. I can do La Liga signings, but they should not be Spanish players. Apart from Pique and Puyol, Ramos, and Capdevilla, Spain doesn't have many good defenders, let's face it. Even Ramos is known to famously collapse on his day. Look at the U-21 even, see how they conceded a soft goal to England. Our boys Fontas and Batra should stay on at Barca.

For me, we should get an experienced CB from Germany or Holland, and put both Batra and Fontas on the first team. I wonder why Zubi gave up on Mats Hummels from Dortmund. He's young and hardworking, and can up-skill very quickly. Having him and Afellay gives us some interesting options.

Midfield? I really don't know about Fabregas. He's definitely not worth that amount of money. I believe he can fit in awesomely at the Camp Nou, but I think we can survive without him, at least till his contract is up.

Euro U-21 Championships. . . Czech 0 Spain 2. . . Two Adrian Lopez goals and two Mata assits. .  Ole football at its finest.
Jeffren was dropped for Muniain. Montoya was brilliant and Thiago really caught the eye playing in central midfield alongside Javi Martinez. . .Dude's a box of tricks - he can really dribble and he plays box to box too. . . I wish we'd hold on to him. Bojan was on the bench all through.
Quality footie from Spain. I wasn't joking when I said this U-21 team can the win the world cup.

medjai:

Euro U-21 Championships. . . Czech 0 Spain 2. . . Two Adrian Lopez goals and two Mata assits. .  Ole football at its finest.
Jeffren was dropped for Muniain. Montoya was brilliant and Thiago really caught the eye playing in central midfield alongside Javi Martinez. . .Dude's a box of tricks - he can really dribble and he plays box to box too. . . I wish we'd hold on to him. Bojan was on the bench all through.
Quality footie from Spain. I wasn't joking when I said this U-21 team can the win the world cup.

Nice one. Unfortunately I was at work and missed this. They really picked up their game for this one. They were unlucky to not smash England, as Stuart Pearce testified. I'm sure Milla would have screamed at them.

Looks like our interest in Rossi has cooled. Our main transfer targets now are Sanchez, which I'm afraid we may lose to Man Utd or City as they're willing to offer Udinese more; Fabregas and a left back - Jose Angel or Jose Enrique.
Heard we are close to sealing a deal for the Hercules winger, Kiko Femenia. . .

Stealthy:

Silva is one of the best CBs around. But I'm sure he'll be VERY expensive. Milan have the best transfer guru around, while we are notoriously bad so if this happens, only Milan can gain.

We have about 24 hours left to sign Botia back. I really hope we exercise our buy-back, especially since Gijon got him free to start with,

Botia's transfer to Gijon wasn't free. They signed him for €1m or thereabout.
I can't believe we are letting go the chance to sign a quality CB for just €2m. Perhaps, Pep doesn't really rate him.
Valencia are also interested in him.

^^
Too bad.

Cules, which of you guys live in Nigeria? Pls indicate.

I want to move a motion for setting up a penye (Barca fan club chapter) locally. We can interact and find ways of showing our support right from Naija. Click here to find out what penyes are all about.

@Ajen!
I live in Naija.

Numero uno Naija Barca fan here! Drop the penye let's keep it pumping. I live at Hustleville, Las giddy.

@Ajanlekoko , i'm in Nigeria and will like to Partake in the stuff , Las giddy is my base , Yeah !!

RM are indeed a club with no personality and class.
It took Barca about 2 months to fully deliberate and then respond to RM's season-long bickerings and series of unfounded accusations to FC Barcelona and its team, ranging from doping allegations - Caneda COPE has continued to expose them as the origin of the allegation which they aired in their station, for which RM has yet to sue them to salvage their face. Shame! They also thru their mischevious coach, accused us of winning trophies thanks to national and international assistants, thereby implicating the good name of UNICEF and that Guardiola should be ashamed of winning in that fashion. They reported 8 Barca players for unfounded unsportsmanlike attitudes on the pitch even to the extent of opening the cankerworm of racisms, all in order to sabotage their performances in the final of CL. Well, they failed in all. Pathetic!

But I Like the way Sandro Rosell put it - Football gives u what u put in!
It took them only few minutes after the President issued the Institutional message, to hurriedly put together a haphazardly prepared Rejionder in order to respond, without even the consent of their board of directors. Purely out of class!

Rosell finally threatened to severe all institutional ties, should the limits of sportmanship attitudes and fair play is again exceeded. We do not want to do that, but we are not afarid to. He concluded. Thank u Mr. President.

The President also hinted a possible raising in the transfer budget which was initially pegged at €45m if need be, but promised that with Cesc, they are not ready to break bank or do anything crazy. He reasoned that since they bidded €40 last year, they cannot do any more than that, since his values must have depreciated with his contract.

Generally, they are committed to strenghtening the squad since more competitions will be played, while at the same time remaining frugal in spending, with a view to checking the debt profile of the club.

Spot on Rosell.he is done justice to the entire saga,and the time he had chosen to give it back to Madrid has shown that the man is an intelligent business man.he got my respect from now,i have always been angered by the way he discredited his predecessor and the Ca tar deal.its all good now and i think Bar ca will achieve alot under his administration.

I think Rossell should have just let it slide. El classico has come and gone, let's just forget about everything and move on.
Rossell also blamed City and Chelsea for making prices go up in the transfer market. True! But I think that's being disrespectful to them and it's not like we're saints ourselves:
€40m + Eto'o for Ibra happened on his watch.
I don't think it was smart letting the whole world know that we have more than €45m to spend on transfers. Now, the prices on our targets will definitely go up.