OT: Villa

[manc_wolf]

Not Aston - David Villa going to be unveiled as a £34.2 Million signing for Barcelona on Friday...

A bargain or a waste of money?




Incidentally, this surely leaves the way for Thierry Henry's move to Wolves....

 

[MonkeySpanner]

Henry's coming to the NY/NJ Red Bulls this summer for his final pay-off.

 

[stever]

I just dont understand how some clubs can afford to blow such a large amount of cash on one player.
It makes no sense in real business terms to spend beyond your means. However football seems to be above the laws of the real world!

 

[Sharples]

I wouldnt say its above their means considering the size of the club. However,how they make a profit is beyond me as tickets are so cheap over there.

On the signing of Villa, it stinks of goals and will be a good signing. Bargain - no. Waste of money - no.

 

[North West Wanderer]

Great signing.

 

[LG Wolf]

Nothing at the reported price will ever be a bargain, but he will guarantee them 20-25 league goals and a few in Europe for the next couple of seasons. It's amazing how small their front line attack is as well!

 

[Dewsburywolf]

Nothing at the reported price will ever be a bargain, but he will guarantee them 20-25 league goals and a few in Europe for the next couple of seasons.


It's amazing how small their front line attack is as well!

And we let Kyle Bennett go

....

 

[Sharples]

Are you trying to build a case for keeping Bennett based on the fact Barca have some small players...

 

[Dewsburywolf]

Are you trying to build a case for keeping Bennett based on the fact Barca have some small players...

Number one

 

[Sharples]

...is Gary Breen...

 

[wanderer24]

Have you seen Villa's goalscoring record???? People talking about a lot of money for one player, in the current Market it's a bargain.

 

[Barracudawolf]

I think he's class, can't believe its taken this long for one of the really big clubs to sign him. Also with him being Spainish I would've thought the shirt sales would go a long way to paying for his transfer.


Can't describe any footballer as a bargain at £34.2 million tho

 

[saturday boy]

Barcelona and Real Madrid are so important in Spain they are (effectively) not allowed to go bust. They would be bailed out.

 

[Manchester_wolf]

Barcelona and Real Madrid are so important in Spain they are (effectively) not allowed to go bust. They would be bailed out.

I'm pretty sure Real have been bailed out in the past

 

[North West Wanderer]

Real are effectively bankrolled by the Royal Bank.

 

[Mr Wolf]

...is Gary Breen...

Arsenal fans should be happy as I don't think they would have enough for Fabregas now, well I'd imagine they wouldn't but who knows.

 

[Danwolf]

David Villa is an awesome striker. It's obviously not a bargain but money well spent.

Frankly I'm disgusted that wolves haven't signed him, what a lack of ambition - sack the 3 M's!

 

[stever]

At least he wont be playing against us in the prem via the dirty Russian's money.
Phew!!

 

[Saltyjim]

I reckon Villa is a great signing for Barca, his style will complement the way they play. Since Guardiola dropped Ibrahimovic they have played 3 small quick strikers and they don't come much better than Villa

 

[Deak77]

Quality signing, much better than that utter donkey Ibrahimovic, Mourinho came out of that deal smelling of roses, 46million plus Samuel Eto'o!

 

[WolvesAreBoringOnCeefax]

Better option than Ibrahimovic - who my United supporting mate is now worried they'll sign. Better suits the ball to feet style of Messi, Iniesta, Xavi et all... kinda like a poor man's Kevin Doyle

 

[cobweb]

I just dont understand how some clubs can afford to blow such a large amount of cash on one player.
It makes no sense in real business terms to spend beyond your means. However football seems to be above the laws of the real world!

Unlike businessess in the real world, football clubs (particularly succesful English, Spanish, Italian ones) have a guaranteed, worldwide and loyal customer base who will not shop elsewhere for their entire life. No other business can go to a bank with such a solid guarantor.

Top clubs usually have obscenely rich directors aswell. It wouldn't be a surprise, for example, if part of Barcalona's transfer budget comes directly out of the pocket of a mega rich arabian/russian/african/asian/ supporter who in return, gets to become a part of the Barca family.

 

[leedswolf]

Barcelona and Real Madrid are so important in Spain they are (effectively) not allowed to go bust. They would be bailed out.

Barca were effectively bust a few years ago. If it hadn't been for the stewardship of Joan Laporta I doubt there would have been a shift of power from Madrid.

ICH Barca's money comes from it's membership. The club also generates money from non matchday activities. A few years ago the club and the local authority developed the area around Les Corts with the football club benefiting financially in the long term.

When Laporta signed Ronaldhino he gambled on re-couping that investment (which at that time the club couldn't afford). The gamble payed off because within a couple of days they had recouped the money in replica shirt sales.

Barcelona prides itself on it's Catalan heritage and membership is passed from parent to child so I would be very surprised if some foreign oligarch was fast-tracked into membership.

Next stop for Barca - Cesc Fabregas.

If you look at Barca as compared to Madrid this season, Madrid spent 200m on four (Ronaldo, Kaka. Alonso and Benzema) players in the summer and only 1 of their squad (Casillas) came through the ranks. Barca's first team squad consists the following youth team players

Valdes
Puyol
Xavi
Pique
Iniesta
Pedro
Jeffren
Messi
Boran
Busquets

 

[Adrian_Monk]

I don't think ibra will be going anywhere. Barca now have two very different striker options, a scary prospect that europe's top team has become even more tactically flexible.

 

[leedswolf]

I think that you are probably right adrian, especially with Henry going to the US.

 

[glasgowwolf]

Villa is probably the best finisher in the world just ahead of Torrez

 

[Wolv3nsam]

Wayne Rooney?

 

[leedswolf]

Wayne Rooney?

Villa's 108 goals in 164 appearances for Valencia suggest otherwise perhaps?

 

[wolvo_boi]

Thierry Henry is the best natural finisher in the world, he just gets played out wide and not through the middle so we dont see it anymore as we did week in week out at Arsenal.

 

[Barracudawolf]

Villa is probably the best finisher in the world right now

I'd probably agree with that

 

[Ulver]

Thierry Henry is the best natural finisher in the world, he just gets played out wide and not through the middle so we dont see it anymore as we did week in week out at Arsenal.

Rubbish. Villa is a far better finisher than Henry.