Reports in Spain over weekend claim that Liverpool are tracking Barcelona midfielder Thiago Alcântara, who is reportedly unhappy at his lack of playing time at the Nou Camp.
According to Spanish newspaper AS, both Liverpool and Manchester United are monitoring the 21-year old's situation with a view to putting in a bid in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Last week, Alcântara's father - former Valencia and Celta Vigo star Mazinho, who won the World Cup with Brazil in 1994 - complained publicly about his son's lack of playing time, and made it clear that he'd leave if he remained on the sidelines at Barca. He told Reporters:
"I am convinced that my son would play much more at any other club in the world, which is why I think it's time to try new experiences.
"He is learning a lot training with the likes of Messi, Xavi and Iniesta but he needs to play, especially if he wants to take part in World Cup 2014"
Liverpool were linked with a €10m move for Alcântara - nicknamed 'Little Xavi' by his Nou Camp team-mates - back in 2011, and at the time, the midfielder expressed his dissatisfaction with the way things were going for him at Barca:
“I would be lying if I said that my dream is to succeed at Barca. My dream is to succeed in football. I want to be a player who people remember for ever.”
A Barcelona source further outlined the problem facing Alcântara, and it's the same problem he faces to this day:
“Thiago is frustrated because his path to the first-team is blocked by Xavi and Andres Iniesta. His minutes on the pitch are limited while they continue to pull the strings in midfield"
Despite his alleged limited pitch time, £15m-rated Alcantara has managed to notch up over 60 first-team appearances for Barca in the last 3.5 seasons, including 15 starts this season, which is pretty good for such a young player.
The Spaniard's current contract expires in 2015, and upon signing the deal, Barca posted the following statement on its website:
"FC Barcelona have reached an accord with Thiago Alcantara to improve and extend his contract with the club for another two seasons until June 30, 2015. The recessionary clause of the contract will be €90 million."
€90m?! If Liverpool make a bid in the summer, it will be significantly less than that!
According to Spanish newspaper AS, both Liverpool and Manchester United are monitoring the 21-year old's situation with a view to putting in a bid in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Last week, Alcântara's father - former Valencia and Celta Vigo star Mazinho, who won the World Cup with Brazil in 1994 - complained publicly about his son's lack of playing time, and made it clear that he'd leave if he remained on the sidelines at Barca. He told Reporters:
"I am convinced that my son would play much more at any other club in the world, which is why I think it's time to try new experiences.
"He is learning a lot training with the likes of Messi, Xavi and Iniesta but he needs to play, especially if he wants to take part in World Cup 2014"
Liverpool were linked with a €10m move for Alcântara - nicknamed 'Little Xavi' by his Nou Camp team-mates - back in 2011, and at the time, the midfielder expressed his dissatisfaction with the way things were going for him at Barca:
“I would be lying if I said that my dream is to succeed at Barca. My dream is to succeed in football. I want to be a player who people remember for ever.”
A Barcelona source further outlined the problem facing Alcântara, and it's the same problem he faces to this day:
“Thiago is frustrated because his path to the first-team is blocked by Xavi and Andres Iniesta. His minutes on the pitch are limited while they continue to pull the strings in midfield"
Despite his alleged limited pitch time, £15m-rated Alcantara has managed to notch up over 60 first-team appearances for Barca in the last 3.5 seasons, including 15 starts this season, which is pretty good for such a young player.
The Spaniard's current contract expires in 2015, and upon signing the deal, Barca posted the following statement on its website:
"FC Barcelona have reached an accord with Thiago Alcantara to improve and extend his contract with the club for another two seasons until June 30, 2015. The recessionary clause of the contract will be €90 million."
€90m?! If Liverpool make a bid in the summer, it will be significantly less than that!
Sure we already have the welsh Xavi...lol
ReplyDeleteWhere did you dig this one up from? €90 who do they think this kid is? Suarez?
ReplyDeletehe plays like Ronaldinho but he lacks pace and a bit of phisicalityy
ReplyDeleteBill, in every transfer article I write, the sources are clearly stated. Spanish newspaper AS is carrying the story, and Barca revealed the 90m clause on their own website.
ReplyDeleteIniesta took a few years to become a regular himself. 21 isn't that old so if he's good enough, he'll get his shot considering Xavi turned 33 in January.
ReplyDeletewe need experience not more potential all thou this player has more potential than a lot of the other youngsters we are linked to,if money is not a problem then fine a great signing but we need to look for players who are going to make an impact next season,and i do not mean the odd game,but players who will be ready for a long hard season
ReplyDeleteWilliams is that type of player,Yet everybody says hes 'not good enough'...Clearly people have not watched him play
ReplyDeleteMeh...Barca won't sell him....Hes their replacement for Xavi
ReplyDeletethe thing is fsg have there mind set on this buy potential policy
ReplyDeleteHe's an excellent player and I, personally, would love him at Anfield. I doubt this AS article is anything more than journalistic boredom, but if it WAS to have any truth to it, then It'd be between Thiago and Eriksen as our inspirational marquee playmaker summer signing. I could see Eriksen signing for us more than Thiago though and given the confidence he probably possesses from playing regularly and being a regular international, then Eriksen would probably pip it for me.
ReplyDeleteStill, whoever gets Thiago will get an excellent player. I hope it's not someone like Arsenal though, because he needs to be playing regularly in a successful side with good players.
I really wish there were some kind of rules in place to stop clubs putting rediculous clauses on their players. The spanish and portuguese teams are always doing it. Obviously they want to keep their players but it puts the smaller clubs in a difficult position.
ReplyDeleteTo be fair, Barca mainly do it because so many of their players are taken from La Masia for next to nothing. This continues to be the case today. You have to put yourself in their shoes. Barca very nearly lost Messi to Espanyol and Real Madrid when he was a B team player because of similar circumstances - lack of playing time and lack of reassurances by the club. Thiago's form for the B team and at U21 level was incredible. He can be amazing on his day. Barca naturally feared that another club could turn his head so they inserted a clause binding him to the club for a fairly reasonable period, given his age. He's seen as the future of Barca. If someone had told you we'd let go of Steven Gerrard for pittance when he was a kid, you'd be disgusted. It's similar to how QPR must feel for selling Raheen Sterling to us - so we've actually benefited from a similar situation in the past.
ReplyDeleteYep...its not the worst because it WILL reap the rewards in a few years but like you always stress we need the now as well
ReplyDeleteYou make a good point but that is just a way to keep Barca in their power seat. But for the smaller clubs that can't stick a huge contract clause on their players it is kind of unfair. Anyway Barca's youths nearly always want to return anyway if the chance arises.
ReplyDeleteThe main thing I have an issue with(and this could be down to not knowing what's actually goin on) is where with the likes of Suarez you have one of the best strikers in the world and he might only have a 40 million clause and then some 20 year old that has made 30 appearances in the Portuguese league has one for 50 million. Basically I'm just wondering why the English league does it differently to others out there.
how do you know it will reap the rewards we have bought young players for years and none have made it at lfc the players that did make it came through the academy,
ReplyDeleteThat's a fair point, definitely. And I agree with you that the inflated clauses are bordering on hilarious. Barca initiated an interestingly convoluted set-up for the negotiations of Bojan's contract to Roma, I recall. And I think Barca have a similar one for Affelay. I think it's a case of "once bitten, twice shy" there. But as you say, it's a bit disproportionate when you take into account actual proven talent like Suarez. Saying that, I understand that Messi has a buy-out clause of 250 million! Again though, as you say, this isn't the norm in England. Strange stuff indeed.
ReplyDeleteSure but not to the extent we are now
ReplyDeletewhat so rafa did not buy loads of teenagers
ReplyDeleteYeah look at Suso and Sterling....we're starting to see the rewards
ReplyDeleteIs there any source that states LFC have that kind of money to spend? The same question on the other story I've just seen, "boss admits miracle 40 million euro LFC target could leave in the summer...bid?". Without champions league income LFC won't have the funds to compete for these kind of players. I don't claim to know the inner finances of the club and I don't know how accurate the 20 million transfer budget for the summer is (even with extra income from sales) I'm not sure what chance there is any of these players are even in the park LFC will be looking at this summer
ReplyDeleteRonaldo has a buy out clause of a BILLION and yes I did say a Billion...You think he'd be sold for that? Hell no.....This lad would at max be around £25m maybe £30m Im not so good with transfer prices...but still Eriksen would be my choice all day long
ReplyDeleteI don't really see how it is a problem, considering that players in England aren't obligated to have a clause. The fact the clause is so high, effectively means they have the same system as us.
ReplyDeleteBesides, there are still bargains to be had with the smaller clauses like Michu.
I think there are many elements to this story that could be worthy of discussion, but the question that takes precedence for me is: why would he come to us over the countless Champions League teams that will be after him?
ReplyDeleteI'm not saying that Liverpool don't have any draw, but in this case, I doubt it is draw enough.
only when the are regular names on the teamsheet they can qualify as made it until then its potential
ReplyDeletewilliams looked awful against spurs its put a big doubt in my mind that hes another allen
ReplyDeleteJust thought I'd pipe in and let some of you know that in Spain it is a legal requirement for every player to have a buyout clause in the contract. This is why you see such ridiculously high prices its to put people off meeting those prices.
ReplyDeleteas rilstrap says and to out of 50 is hardly awe inspireing
ReplyDeleteGot the potential to play at any club in the world, we'd have some serious competition. Just needs the room in the team to flourish and orchestrate the proceedings. Rate him a lot, brilliant prospect. Rather him over Eriksen, only mostly because I've seen more of Thiago.
ReplyDeleteFor a billion, you could probably just buy Real!
ReplyDeleteNo but as you know more then not youth prospects dont make it ie. 16-17 year olds,We're buying players around 20-21,they're the type who've qualified through the academy stage,Besides the two who come through have the potential to be world class,which is 40-50m quid saved,Its of course a long shot saying they'll be world class but thats the chance you take,eventually there will be a few who do,BVB are the example we should aim for which I think FSG are going for.My one BIG criticism of FSG is that they're not building a new stadium,I love Anfield but sometimes you've got to let go and I think its time.We need an Old Trafford size stadium with the potential to expand even further then that.A 60,000 capacity stadium is not enough when there are more who'd go to the games.Sorry that rant was pretty irrelevant lol
ReplyDeleteSure but Gerrard has been very bad in some games this season,that point can be made for most players,Williams won't be my first choice BUT for an experienced CB and not a young one hes a very good option price depending.
ReplyDeleteYeah but you get my point,the buy out clauses are just hypothetical in reality and that lad wouldn't sell for a third of his buy out clause especially as there's old two years left on his contract.
ReplyDeletei'd love to know what you think these clauses actually do? the only reason they have them is because they have to in countries like spain and brazil, and its probably something to do with 3rd party ownership why portuguese clubs do it. ultimately though they mean nothing, its like saying if someone doesnt have a release clause he can never be released from his contract.
ReplyDeleteSure...time will tell if Sterling and Suso make it but they're on the right track
ReplyDeleteIf any 1 has watched this guy in action he is nothing like xavi he more similar to iniesta he has the potential to be the best in the world in his position however that would come with much needed game time at a top club. No way can i envisage him at Anfield however dreams ay
ReplyDeleteI just paid €64 million for Falcao is Fifa 13.
ReplyDeleteBig mistake :(
what ive noticed at anfield a kid will come in play a few games..have a couple of great games ..be the next Fowler or Gerrard then vanish down the leagues on loan and eventually exit the club its a trend we need to halt
ReplyDeleteother clubs have buyout clauses at anfield we have buy in clauses
ReplyDeleteits up to the bean counters to offer water tight contracts we can do it here bit we seem to lack the nous and will to put these cleavets in place
ReplyDeleteDo we really want a player what has a father who complains about team selection?
ReplyDeleteHe is more like Iniesta and Fabregas.
ReplyDeleteYeah but thats always been the case,they're the players who didn't quite make it,but when a player gets to 20 thats usually a challenge they've passed and then begin to carve a career out for themselves
ReplyDeleteWe have enough kids coming through. We need experienced players.
ReplyDeleteAlonso and Eriksen are the type we should be looking for. Blend the youth with experienced mature players.
We need Isco
ReplyDeleteif fsg where here for the long run the stadium issue would be welll sorted by now ,we do not get these youngsters for nothing and the success rate is poor and i do not think we will sell the players for anywhere near the price you say and doubt both of them will be future anfield stars ,there just the latest in a long line of the next bib thing,spearing pacheco ,ultimately the fail
ReplyDeleteMate, people who say "he's not good enough" are a dime a dozen. It's hardly ever followed by any convincing argument if any at all. Over the years we've signed so many of those players who end up getting their name sung by a sold out Anfield every week, that if we got a pound for every one of them, we could sign Messi by now. These are the same people who will whinge we didn't sign Williams because of FSG alledged youth policy if he ends up at Arsenal tightening up their defence. If you want intelligent debate about a player, you need to ignore 90% of the comments you get. As for FSG's transfer policy, it's worked well enough with Coutinho and Sturridge for now hasn't it? I think we'll see in the summer how much there is to this policy if we do end up signing Xabi and Williams along with two or three young players.
ReplyDeleteYeah I take your point,Either way if FSG are here for the long term or not we seriously need to sort out the stadium issue...upgrading Anfield is great but its time to let go,I love it to bits but we need a new stadium,one with something like a 70k+ capacity because the demand is there for that many.
ReplyDeleteYeah it will be very interesting who comes and goes in the summer...It could either make us title contenders or left in the mid-table area...With a few good signings we could compete with anyone in the League hell on our day we can now as it is so we need to build on that
ReplyDeletethe demand is there now but the longer we go without challenging for the top honours the less the deamand will be
ReplyDeleteLFC must get isco or eriksen...thiago?? i don't think he will like to join liverpool fc.the price is too expensive.
ReplyDelete