Spurs wait on Roberto as Barcelona players get frustrated
2 min read
It seems plenty of Barcelona players are not happy with the game time they are getting and seeking a move. With Neymar, Messi and Suarez there isn't much room or anyone else up front.
The second half of the season saw a preferred centre-back pairing that meant Marc Barta wasn't selected for 60% of their games, which means clubs can sign the 24-year-old Catalan for a paltry £8.68m (US$13.51m - AUS$17.48m - €12m). Barcelona are trying to tell everyone that they will not sell him but they don't have a choice, they agreed to the buyout clause and if a club activates it they are powerless to stop him leaving if he wants to.
He is not the only one they are trying to cling hold of and trying to stop leaving. Barcelona manager Luis Enrique has met with 23-year-old central midfielder Sergi Roberto. Like 27-year-old winger Pedro and 23-year-old winger Gerard Deulofeu he is struggling to get game time with the midfield players Barcelona have. Roberto played just 514 La Liga minutes, equivalent to just 5.71 full games.
Enrique is aware he has received offers from Valencia and Tottenham and is using the usual managers trick of suggesting he is still in his plans, he will get opportunities, all of which don't usually mean more league starts, which is what all players want. Petr Čech has wasted a year of his career at Chelsea when a player of his standard should be playing every week. Players regularly fall for it though, we'll have to wait and see if Roberto does.
It's a problem, you have a successful side and if you keep picking the same players the rest get frustrated. More and more youngsters are getting frustrated at Barcelona, they come through the famed La Masia academy and then stagnate on a bench.
It gives club like Tottenham a chance to perhaps pinch some talented youngsters, who have been educated in the right manner to a high level, relatively cheaply.
The second half of the season saw a preferred centre-back pairing that meant Marc Barta wasn't selected for 60% of their games, which means clubs can sign the 24-year-old Catalan for a paltry £8.68m (US$13.51m - AUS$17.48m - €12m). Barcelona are trying to tell everyone that they will not sell him but they don't have a choice, they agreed to the buyout clause and if a club activates it they are powerless to stop him leaving if he wants to.
He is not the only one they are trying to cling hold of and trying to stop leaving. Barcelona manager Luis Enrique has met with 23-year-old central midfielder Sergi Roberto. Like 27-year-old winger Pedro and 23-year-old winger Gerard Deulofeu he is struggling to get game time with the midfield players Barcelona have. Roberto played just 514 La Liga minutes, equivalent to just 5.71 full games.
Enrique is aware he has received offers from Valencia and Tottenham and is using the usual managers trick of suggesting he is still in his plans, he will get opportunities, all of which don't usually mean more league starts, which is what all players want. Petr Čech has wasted a year of his career at Chelsea when a player of his standard should be playing every week. Players regularly fall for it though, we'll have to wait and see if Roberto does.
It's a problem, you have a successful side and if you keep picking the same players the rest get frustrated. More and more youngsters are getting frustrated at Barcelona, they come through the famed La Masia academy and then stagnate on a bench.
It gives club like Tottenham a chance to perhaps pinch some talented youngsters, who have been educated in the right manner to a high level, relatively cheaply.