La Liga 2018/19

75M + 11M, it's a ton of cash no question - is it current market value for perhaps the most prized young DM in world football? If he pans out and owns it for a decade, might be the best money they could've spent but the market has never been the same since the Neymar transfer. I expected in the neighborhood of 70 and probably similar for De Ligt - he is 19 years old

 

Honestly, not a fan of Kante and wouldn't agree that he's the right profile for Barcelona

De Jong epitomizes the ideal pivot that used to come out of La Masia, that reflects the best Cruyffian traits in a player. He is a sensational talent and I have tremendous expectations for the player, much like Dembele

 

Well done Ajax getting the full value without any middle man, don't know him but he must be alright for that, they're pumping Madrid aye? That would be sweet.

Mind Barca paid Liverpool £75m for Chewelini, that seemed like a huge sum at the time. Tv money is less in the EPL now too so it's going to just make it even more oil rich clubs going nuts unless there is a fair play rule for spending? I heard City were going to get punished but then someone said Uefa are bottling it in case PSG and others if banned will make their own league. I think a super league would get boring especially if there was no relegation, would be so unsporting. Unless we were invited

So what happened to Ajax, did they miss the CL for one or two seasons and do some serious scouting or is he an academy lad?

The name De Jong will always be famous cause of that infamous tackle on Alonso ooffft. Feels like only a couple days ago the chat in here was how Barca are going to go about building a new team. Two players in two days. Signed any more? Well not like you need a whole team. Barca seem to do alright with Dutchmen. That's one of the funniest 'play on' moments I've ever seen from a top ref. Like Nani in the WC semi about to score the greatest goal his country will ever see and take them into the final and the ref blew for a free kick on the half way line as he was bursting into the area So much respect for him during penalties for taking the ball and pressure off his team mate cause he was pure wobbly legged * it, that was brave. Top cornered the pen too But Ronaldo let the guy go up next meaning he didn't get to take one *

Well done FCBarca hope he's a good signing.

I doubt Dembele is the cause of Coutinho's poor form. They're two different positions? He was excellent at Liverpool and they hardly had a better squad than Barca. Dembele reminds me of Secretariat about two hours old. He's all over the shop sometimes but what a burst of speed when he gets going.

Wonder if Brendan will offer Godin, Luiz and De Gea deals now they're all on a free. FCBarca weren't you just saying the other day how Luiz is better than Cafu and would love it if Barca signed him? Even in their 30s those are two decent defenders. About 8 Man Utd players contracts up this summer, they messed up big time there, if you're going to get Mourinho in the dressing room get the contracts signed first. Brendan will be getting a few texts letting him know Ballotelli is on a free too

@Notorious I think Messi needs a new propagandist * is that, his dribbling coach?

 

If he's even close to half the player Busquets is then he'll be worth it.

Is Kante for sale? Chelsea would never let him go for £75m, I'm sure a lot of pundits said he near enough won the EPL himself. Obviously good but such a different player from Sergi although he is pretty unique.

 

It ain't gonna happen? It just did

Like I say, Kante is not the profile a player I prefer for Barcelona and when possession based sides have faced the player it has only reinforced this belief - especially when he has directly faced Barcelona. Doesn't mean he is a poor player, just not the right fit

 

As a backup striker on loan for 6 months not as a creative midfielder, De Jong has signed on the dotted line

 

Never even heard of him, I honestly thought they'd signed Nigel, lol.

75m ffs, that is mental.

Crazy that Dutch football is pretty *, just like ours and you have players going for that money, big Virg aye I get, but personally I don't really think there's an abundance of top players in Holland anymore.

Maybe they are coming through right enough.

 

Dutch football is not * ffs!

 

Not so much anymore, Kevin Prince doesn’t fall under the exceptional category for me. Not sure Vermaelen or Turan did either. Alex Song was a bit of a strange one to.

 

Precisely, the Oranje are indeed back - thankfully

 

You don’t though.

They’ve bought some bang average players over the years.

 

They just signed Kevin Prince Boateng...

 

In a Barcelona side, all XI have to be good on the ball and that is unlikely to change anytime soon and no one suggested a midfield profile like De Jong is meant for other positions. In midfield, that profile has to be that of a player like Frenkie and going forward it will be him, Puig, Alena & Arthur - all sharing that so it's not a question of it possibly happening, it is happening