Why Barcelona fans need not worry about a seemingly slow summer window | The Boot Room
Why Barcelona fans need not worry about a seemingly slow summer window | The Boot Room
My piece for the BootRoom on Barcelona’s summer
There are still almost two months left in the transfer window, but Barcelona need to get a move on. At least, that’s what the Twitterati would have many believing. Some Barcelona fans may agree with that assertion.
Last season was a disappointing one for the Blaugrana,despite the club picking up silverware by winning the Copa del Rey. The club’s defensive frailties were a source of concern time again, along with a lax attitude when facing smaller sides.
A main reason for this was that, in Luis Enrique’s final season in charge, Barcelona failed to look like Barcelona at all. The control of midfield was gone, along with the pressing from the front. Part of that was due to the managers instructions but injuries and loss of form affected various players throughout the season.
There were additions aplenty during the summer of 2016 but only one player, Samuel Umtiti, proved capable of handling the Barcelona cauldron.
With Enrique’s departure common knowledge for the last quarter of the season there was plenty of anticipation surrounding who his replacement would be. Athletic Bilbao’s Ernesto Valverde was the man chosen in the end, in a solid but somewhat underwhelming move. The 53-year-old is a good coach and one that has proven himself in La Liga, but Barcelona is an entirely different beast compared to Bilbao.
The speed with which the decision was made suggested that Barcelona would be in for a decisive summer. The renewal of Lionel Messi’s contract also helped calm any worries. Still, Barcelona fans are likely casting envious glances upon seeing the money being spent in the England, by their rivals, Real Madrid, and even in Italy, by AC Milan.
There are plenty reasons for fans of the Blaugrana to stop worrying, though.
Valverde’s appointment means at least one point of contention during Enrique’s tenure, the development of youth prospects, will be addressed. Valverde has no problem trusting young players with talent and one can expect the likes of Sergi Samper and Carles Alena to get a decent amount of chances.
Those a step ahead, like Munir, should also see more regular minutes, along with the now permanently signed Marlon, who performed well in defense at the end of last season. Those players will help with issues of rotation and depth, providing they take their chances if they stay at the club. There were still glaring issues for the new coach to fix, but those have been dealt with in a relatively fuss-free manner.
As reported on Barcelona’s official club website, Gerard Deloufou returned from Everton after four seasons. His addition, along with Munir’s return from loan, helps address the issue of depth up from for the Blaugrana.
There may be some worry about his overall impact given his inconsistency but he has the technical skills one would expect from a former starlet at La Masia, and his form at Milan in the second half of the 2016/17 was full of positive moments.
His return may result in Rafina spending more time in midfield when he returns form injury. Another addition comes in the form of Benfica right-back, Nelson Semedo, whose arrival the club recently confirmed. The Portuguese defender may not be Dani Alves reincarnate, but he and Aleix Vidal provide Valverde options in a problem position.
Semedo’s arrival means Sergi Roberto will spend the majority of time in a more familiar midfield role. That would leave Valverde able to choose between him, Rafina, Andre Gomes, Ivan Rakitic, Denis Suarez, Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta and, sometimes, Arda Turan for the three available midfield berths. Neither depth nor quality should be an issue in midfield for Barcelona.
Barcelona fans will still be hoping for that blockbuster signing, with Marco Verratti the top rumoured target, as reported by the Daily Mail. While his signing would definitely energize the fans, and possibly the squad as well, it may result in a few departures that hurts the squads overall depth.
There’s no guaranteed thing in football and Barcelona have made two solid additions in key areas of need. There are few players available that would make this squad better. Free from the extreme intensity of Enrique, and armed with a fresh approach under Valverde, there is the possibility of success next season.
Other big teams across Europe may be spending to fix multiple issues, but Barcelona’s main concerns lasts season were in the game plan and mental approach in certain matches. The continued adaptation of last season’s additions should make any squad rotation less of a risk next term.
Barcelona will have plenty to prove throughout the 2017/18 campaign, with both players new and old and the coach looking to silence any critics. Money alone won’t help with that. Barcelona’s summer so far may be low-key but it maybe just what is needed to return to the top in Europe.
Always Thinking Football 