Memphis Depay / signed for Barca

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FatTails

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As transfer fees get higher and higher, we’ll see more of this. Good move for both.

Crazy to think that next summer one or both of Mbappe and Pogba might go to Madrid for free :eek:
 

ReallyUSA

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Happy for him. He said he envisions himself at a bigger club, and I doubted him. Well, look at that.
 

PSV

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Joining Barca on a free. Clubs really have got to stop letting players doing this.
Did we miss out on a sell on fee also?
A bit curious what you're getting at.

The notion that a player has any obligation to a club beyond initially agreed contract length (unless new contract gets signed) is nuts.

Oh, and yes, we probably missed out.
 

SirReginald

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I'm convinced at this point that Barcelona are just playing FM and making random transfers for the sake of it.

He literally doesn't fit their team if this is true.
Honestly when you have a clueless manager in charge and a shoe string budget, I think anything will do.
 

FrankDrebin

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2 year contract.

Anyway, I just cant see how a Messi, Griezmann and Depay forward line works.
 

Henrik Larsson

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2 year contract.
Yeah, can't deny that seems like a pretty damn smart move. He can just chill at Barca for two years and see how much game time he gets, if it hasn't worked out he's 29 on a free again so it'll be easy to find another nice club.

He broke up with his agency earlier this year, they're called SEG and are one of the biggest Dutch footballing agencies, after some scandalous news about Stefan de Vrij came out. Apparently they hustled him and pocketed 7 million for themselves when he signed for Inter from Lazio on a free, De Vrij assumed that money was for him (there were also stories about Thomas Vermaelen having a financiel dispute with them) and I think there will be a legal battle

You'd think more players should do what Memphis is doing now, but then alot of time they are forced to sign longer contracts because both the clubs and the agent push towards that, for clubs to protect their investment and for agents it means guaranteed income and a potential percentage of the transfer fee if the player moves before the contract is up.

It's a really nice move for him and he had a great connection with Koeman at the Dutch NT so I think he'll get a good amount of game time and he has the quality to bully the smaller teams in La Liga - obviously he's not the guy that'll turn Barca in a CL contender again. And given the pressure Koeman was under at the end of last season, it's a big question mark how long he'll remain coach at Barca, you never know how a new coach would rate Memphis, so it'll be interesting to see how things will work out during those two years.
 

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A bit curious what you're getting at.

The notion that a player has any obligation to a club beyond initially agreed contract length (unless new contract gets signed) is nuts.

Oh, and yes, we probably missed out.
The idea is to prevent players from down their contracts to ensure there will be a transfer fee. I agree that it's not always possible if the player is dead set against it, but in theory, Lyon could have offered Memphis an extension - although that probably would have required a raise for Memphis to be interested, and even then he might not have wanted to sign: it's well known that Barcelona don't have the budget for expensive transfers, so he might have made a move impossible by agreeing to an extension.
 

Cheimoon

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It's a really nice move for him and he had a great connection with Koeman at the Dutch NT so I think he'll get a good amount of game time and he has the quality to bully the smaller teams in La Liga - obviously he's not the guy that'll turn Barca in a CL contender again. And given the pressure Koeman was under at the end of last season, it's a big question mark how long he'll remain coach at Barca, you never know how a new coach would rate Memphis, so it'll be interesting to see how things will work out during those two years.
I hadn't thought of it that way, but you're right: if Memphis can be effective against lower La Liga teams, he'll be an excellent rotation option - and thus help the stars stay fit for the big games. Messi, for example, may well have to start conserving his energy more. In that sense, signing Memphis actually might help Barcelona in the CL after all.

Good point about the two-year contract as well.
 

lsd

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I don't think we had a sell on clause for Depay but a buy back option
 

GMoore23

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A bit curious what you're getting at.

The notion that a player has any obligation to a club beyond initially agreed contract length (unless new contract gets signed) is nuts.

Oh, and yes, we probably missed out.
I'm saying clubs have got to start shifting the players before they run their contracts down.
This is becoming a common trend now as players know they can demand a better contract when there's no transfer fee involved.
 
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This is becoming a common trend now as players know they can demand a better contract when there's no transfer fee involved.
They’ve been able to demand much better wages ever since Bosman, and yet it’s still so rare for good players to go on a free.
How is it a ”common trend” now? What big free transfers am I missing?
 

therealtboy

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Depay Aguero and Messi is a better front 3 than anything they put out last season. With Dembele, Fati and Griezman they have great depth. They need to sort out the midfield long term. It's De Jong plus 2 , Pedri is a great talent but they need a midfield general that can add bite. Defensively Eric Garcia should fit in seamlessly, Dest ended the season in good form and so did Alba, Lenglet needs replacing, he was horrendous at the end. All in all they aren't the Barca of old but they'll be fearsome again with a couple more solid signings.
 
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GMoore23

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They’ve been able to demand much better wages ever since Bosman, and yet it’s still so rare for good players to go on a free.
How is it a ”common trend” now? What big free transfers am I missing?
Depay - Barca
Wijinaldum - PSG
Donnarumma -
Alaba -
Messi - Possibly but Barca dug their own grave.

Eriksen more or less held out for a free transfer but again, Spurs were part to blame

Next season possibly Mbappe and our own Pogba. Varane also threatening.
 
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Depay - Barca
Wijinaldum - PSG
Donnarumma -
Alaba -
Messi - Possibly but Barca dug their own grave.

Eriksen more or less held out for a free transfer but again, Spurs were part to blame

Next season possibly Mbappe and our own Pogba. Varane also threatening.
So 2 confirmed & Herrera.

Eriksen went for almost 30m.

Yeah that’s always happened, Owen, McManaman etc.
A ”common theme” I don’t see, maybe if all those you mentioned come off but so far you’ve managed a very few and all pretty ”eh” players. Top players going for free is still extremely rare. Varane and Pogba won’t go for free, I’d put money on that.
 

Red4Life_#7

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I think this "ceiling" thing is mostly bollocks to be honest. How does one assess or know ones ceiling. Rashford has more pace and skill but what are you basing their respective ceilings on?
Potentially how great one can be. Rashy looks like has the potential to really improve once he gains more experience and makes better decisions. Depay is 27, hasn't improved a lot in the last few years. He's entering his peak years and hasn't shown world class levels. Rashy looks like he can play at a higher level, of course only time will tell.
 

amolbhatia50k

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Depay Aguero and Messi is a better front 3 than anything they put out last season. With Dembele, Fati and Griezman they have great depth. They need to sort out the midfield long term. It's De Jong plus 2 , Pedri is a great talent but they need a midfield general that can add bite. Defensively Eric Garcia should fit in seamlessly, Dest ended the season in good form and so did Alba, Lenglet needs replacing, he was horrendous at the end. All in all they aren't the Barca of old but they'll be fearsome again with a couple more solid signings.
Looks poor to me. Memphis doesn't have the pace needed to make use of Messi's creativity. On Aguero, they basically screwed up by selling a better CF and now have added Aguero who is also past his best to make up for it or somehow.
 

CG1010

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We should have kept Depay. He couldn't have done worse than the dross we got served up for years and he could have done well under Ole I feel.
 

GifLord

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We should have kept Depay. He couldn't have done worse than the dross we got served up for years and he could have done well under Ole I feel.
He had almost zero end product. Not to mention he fecked us against Chelsea was it? When in the 91st min instead of trying to waste time was dribbling with the ball, lost it and Chelsea scored on the counter
 

CG1010

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He had almost zero end product. Not to mention he fecked us against Chelsea was it? When in the 91st min instead of trying to waste time was dribbling with the ball, lost it and Chelsea scored on the counter
Who knows he might have done better in a couple of seasons when he had settled down. Especially compared to the likes of Mikhitaryan, Periera, Lingard, James, even Williams and Dalot getting significant game time, he could have been better and now he is a key signing for (an admittedly broken) Barca team.

Edit: Williams and Dalot getting game time on wings that is.
 

mariachi-19

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Depay Aguero and Messi is a better front 3 than anything they put out last season. With Dembele, Fati and Griezman they have great depth. They need to sort out the midfield long term. It's De Jong plus 2 , Pedri is a great talent but they need a midfield general that can add bite. Defensively Eric Garcia should fit in seamlessly, Dest ended the season in good form and so did Alba, Lenglet needs replacing, he was horrendous at the end. All in all they aren't the Barca of old but they'll be fearsome again with a couple more solid signings.
Two average players joining a team doesn’t make it that great.

Depay will look decent against the bottom of the league in Spain and average against any quality opposition.

Aguero is finished.

This is just bankrupt Barcelona papering cracks.
 

gajender

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Who knows he might have done better in a couple of seasons when he had settled down. Especially compared to the likes of Mikhitaryan, Periera, Lingard, James, even Williams and Dalot getting significant game time, he could have been better and now he is a key signing for (an admittedly broken) Barca team.

Edit: Williams and Dalot getting game time on wings that is.
William and Dalot haven't been given significant game time on wings and Depay was useless in wider areas for us anyway and he still isn't good enough even now his progression has much to with him playing centrally.
And he isn't key signing for Barca either he and Aguero are stopgap arrangement till they get better forward probably next year.
 

GifLord

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Who knows he might have done better in a couple of seasons when he had settled down. Especially compared to the likes of Mikhitaryan, Periera, Lingard, James, even Williams and Dalot getting significant game time, he could have been better and now he is a key signing for (an admittedly broken) Barca team.

Edit: Williams and Dalot getting game time on wings that is.
You wanna know how bad he was? He had more assists for the reserves(3 in 1 game) than he did in EPL and UCL combined(1 in 35 games)
Not to mention he was supposed to be this amazing free kick specialist who just a season before scored 7 for PSV. For united it took him 8 tries to even test the keeeper. He was so hyped up it wasn't even funny after he failed.
 

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Potentially how great one can be. Rashy looks like has the potential to really improve once he gains more experience and makes better decisions. Depay is 27, hasn't improved a lot in the last few years. He's entering his peak years and hasn't shown world class levels. Rashy looks like he can play at a higher level, of course only time will tell.
Rashford has 6 senior seasons under his belt. He is going into his 7th season. For perspective, if the average player breaks into the first team at 21, Rashford would be like a 27/28 year old.
 

Bebestation

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Rashford has 6 senior seasons under his belt. He is going into his 7th season. For perspective, if the average player breaks into the first team at 21, Rashford would be like a 27/28 year old.
Oh wow. Fans complain about Van Gaal and Jose Mourinho’s football and then Ole’s PE level coaching - but that’s okay because Rashford has gained 6 years of experienced coaching from them :eek:
 

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Oh wow. Fans complain about Van Gaal and Jose Mourinho’s football and then Ole’s PE level coaching - but that’s okay because Rashford has gained 6 years of experienced coaching from them :eek:
Experience playing football. Match experience and experience around the first team are all vital irrespective of your coach. Coaches aren't a magical formula. Most of it is going to be down to the player gaining experience.
 

elmo

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Depay - Barca
Wijinaldum - PSG
Donnarumma -
Alaba -
Messi - Possibly but Barca dug their own grave.

Eriksen more or less held out for a free transfer but again, Spurs were part to blame

Next season possibly Mbappe and our own Pogba. Varane also threatening.
Thiago Silva to Chelsea
Zlatan to us previously
Ramos is a free agent and I doubt he's taking a pay cut to sign for his next club.
Lewandowski was also a free agent when he signed for Bayern.
 

Bebestation

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Experience playing football. Match experience and experience around the first team are all vital irrespective of your coach. Coaches aren't a magical formula. Most of it is going to be down to the player gaining experience.
So basically the right coaching or management of a player is not as important as match experiance that they will get one time or another be that if they broke up in to the first team at 18 or 21.

Anyway I cba.
 

Stacks

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So basically the right coaching or management of a player is not as important as match experiance that they will get one time or another be that if they broke up in to the first team at 18 or 21.

Anyway I cba.
Do you think Moyes made Rooney who he is when we signed him through his "coaching?" Unless the manager is a super hands on coach and obsessive, its mostly down to the players just gaining experience. Many managers have a more distant approach and the coaching is done by the actual coaches. So yes the most important aspect of players development is minutes
 

Bebestation

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Do you think Moyes made Rooney who he is when we signed him through his "coaching?" Unless the manager is a super hands on coach and obsessive, its mostly down to the players just gaining experience. Many managers have a more distant approach and the coaching is done by the actual coaches. So yes the most important aspect of players development is minutes
How many years did Shaw have of minutes and experience?
 

Bebestation

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at what stage? now?
He has similar apps to Rashford which includes missing significant time with a leg break
And Rashford has been better than him every season except this one - the season where Shaw got direct competition to a player that highlighted his attacking weaknesses.

Anyway as I said I cba - Rashford has 85 goal/assists in 179 PL games.

That’s just nearly a goal ever 2 games for a 23 year old.

shaw did shit all during his career here and turned it the moment he hit his prime and got some coaching and competition.
 

Stacks

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And Rashford has been better than him every season except this one - the season where Shaw got direct competition to a player that highlighted his attacking weaknesses.

Anyway as I said I cba - Rashford has 85 goal/assists in 179 PL games.

That’s just nearly a goal ever 2 games for a 23 year old.

shaw did shit all during his career here and turned it the moment he hit his prime and got some coaching and competition.
Is Ole a great coach known for developing FBs? Shaw problem was simply that he wasn't putting in enough crosses. He was getting down the line and just cutting back. Quite an easy fix. His passing and link play was always good as was his defending. We saw signs under Van Gaal. Shaw has 266 senior appearances (club and country) and had development interrupted by a major injury which should not be ignored. Rashford has 313 senior appearances.

I dunno why you are presenting Rashford stats :houllier:. Never did I suggest he doesn't make a big impact via goals and assists. My response was in relation to the poster talking about Rashford gaining more experience when he is a full international who has played at WC, Euros and been in United first team for 6 seasons.
 

Bebestation

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Is Ole a great coach known for developing FBs? Shaw problem was simply that he wasn't putting in enough crosses. He was getting down the line and just cutting back. Quite an easy fix. His passing and link play was always good as was his defending. We saw signs under Van Gaal. Shaw has 266 senior appearances (club and country) and had development interrupted by a major injury which should not be ignored. Rashford has 313 senior appearances.

I dunno why you are presenting Rashford stats :houllier:. Never did I suggest he doesn't make a big impact via goals and assists. My response was in relation to the poster talking about Rashford gaining more experience when he is a full international who has played at WC, Euros and been in United first team for 6 seasons.
And again Shaw even before his injury didn’t play like how he is playing now.

The biggest signs to Shaw’s improvements is actually seen on the RB - Wan Bissaka is improving from coaching highlighting the improvements on his weaknesses just like it happened to Shaw this year.
 

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And again Shaw even before his injury didn’t play like how he is playing now.

The biggest signs to Shaw’s improvements is actually seen on the RB - Wan Bissaka is improving from coaching highlighting the improvements on his weaknesses just like it happened to Shaw this year.
Shaw just needed to put in more crosses. He put in 38 crosses all last year. He is making pretty much the same number of crosses. It could simply be that signing Telles (a known crossing FB) gave him a nudge that he needs to provide that aspect of his game.

in 2019 (At Palace) AWB made 56 crosses on 21% accuracy, through balls 1, accurate long balls 34
In 2021 (Last season) AWB made 60 crosses on 22% accuracy, through balls 0, accurate long balls 27

He is at a team who should have more of the ball than his Palace days or at least teams sometimes have the game plan of backing off and letting our defenders have the ball. Out of curiosity what are his biggest improvements since Palace?
 

Big Andy

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We should have kept Depay. He couldn't have done worse than the dross we got served up for years and he could have done well under Ole I feel.
I thought he was going to be a world beater when he scored those two against Club Brugge. "Something special that lad" I think I said at half time in that game.
 

Red4Life_#7

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Rashford has 6 senior seasons under his belt. He is going into his 7th season. For perspective, if the average player breaks into the first team at 21, Rashford would be like a 27/28 year old.
Experience is not just about your years playing football. It's also about the mental aspect, losing big games like cup finals and learning from those disappointments to form your character, along with learning how to deal with the pressure etc.

We've recently seen him awarded a MBE for his brilliant off-field work. I guess what I'm trying to say is, it's not about your number of years playing it's about your mental maturity that improves your all round game.

His physical age is 23, so when he reaches 27/28 his mental game will be at a much higher level than now. Most athletes will tell you the game is 80/90% mental and Rashford is already physically superior to Depay i.e Skill, pace etc. Conbining his mental aspect that's why I stated he has a higher ceiling than Depay.

Depay also went on record to say he wasn't mentally ready while at United, whereas Rashford at a similar age to him at the time has been our star player for a number of years.
 
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