Barcelona's Summer Window (Balde, Kounde, and Julian Alvarez) - Panic or Progress?
Dan and Levon discuss all the latest transfer news surrounding the club, including Dominik Livakovic, Alejandro Balde, Jules Kounde, and Julian Alvarez. They talk through the leverage clubs have and give up, the pickle that Atletico Madrid find themselves in, and the way that Xavi Espart's breakout could affect Barça's depth this season. 0:00 Livakovic Move 5:20 Balde Situation 13:00 Kounde's Spot and Espart's Breakout 22:14 Alvarez Drama 41:48 Other Buzz 🎧 Available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere you listen. 💬 Comment with your favorite goal from the match and a nickname for podcast supporters 🔔 Subscribe for more Barcelona breakdowns every matchday Listen to the full podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast ... 📲 Join the BigUp Watchalongs every matchday + play our free fantasy lineup game! 🔵🔴 Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Patreon for ad-free episodes. BlueWireVideo
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With the Liga season already begun, a 5-0 win, that's all the good stuff. But with those five headlines, I haven't really been talking too much about all the transfer buzz stuff. Sure, Rodri. Sure, a little bit of ball day for the last one. But to really get into the weeds of all the nonsense, which probably is going to change by the time this recording hits the air, I needed help from an old friend, and that is Lavon aka Barcelv. Lavon, you're there. You're on the ground. How's it going there in Catalonia? >> What up? All good. All good. Sun is shining. Season started with a with a full Manita. So, we're good. How are you? >> Yeah. As good as you can be. Again, when the season starts and I'm trying to figure out from day to day, do I record? What do I talk about? What do we go over? Well, fortunately, with the transfer window, just one week left, there is a lot to talk about. And we're going to start with something that's kind of straightforward. So, nothing really to to add here other than uh Dominic Likovich, Livic Lovich, Livakovich. There we go. We got it. Livakovich for those who always correct my pronunciation. There I got on the final attempt. But anyway, Barcel will pay a fixed 2 million euro fee plus up to half a mill in add-ons for the Croatian goalkeeper. Several options do remain on the table for him to stay this season, though a loan move has not been ruled out. I had seen reports for a while that he was going to be loaned out at 31 years old and then returned when tax contract runs out, but it also seems like potentially based on salary, and we'll get to the number nine part of this. If Barcelona do not add another big salary to their wage bill, they will likely be able to just fit him in there and then say, "Tech, we do love you. We love your vibes, but you're going to be the third goalkeeper this season, and he's going to just slot in as the second goalkeeper." All of those different permutations make sense to me. Yeah, you know, I've been uh following this kid uh since he was 13 years old. And no, just kidding. Uh you know, none of none of us really know this guy. He comes with a good rep, which we found out about when his name popped up. Um so I can't really have an opinion one way or the other. Um, supposedly the the initial idea was to loan him back to the club that we're signing him from for one year, which made sense to me. Uh, now word on the street is he might be our second goalkeeper. Um, that's up to the club to decide. Maybe they want to watch him uh train for a couple of weeks before they make that decision. I have no idea, but uh, you know, he's welcome. Benito been good. And yeah, I think I think either way it is smart if we don't think that we have a good backup option in in the maza. Uh then he could be a good pickup and if um especially if Flick decides to maybe you know like Pep and Lucho used to do play the second goalkeeper during the Copa at least uh then we can see what he's made of. Um, obviously John Garcia, I mean, people talk about every player in our in our opening league match, but they don't say how absolutely awesome John Garcia was. You know, he intercepted every ball. He stopped the one-on-one. Um, let's just hope John Garcia does not get injured and we don't need a second goalkeeper. >> Yeah. In the last I'd say what six seven years we have kind of been talking about the drop off and more particularly like the post pandemic era we talked about the drop off from starter to bench option for Barcelona and that is the position again where you see from from Dwan Garcia to Tech in the preseason at least the biggest chasm there is where Tech is now in his career there was certainly just a different way that he defends uh as as in not as well in his box and you see the speed and sure he still has all that experience, all that wherewithal, but upgrading at that position for 2 mil plus potential.5 add-ons, that's just a piece of good business as a backup goalkeeper, especially when, as is going to be the case here in our conversation today, Barcelona will not be in the 1 to1 next summer. So getting this deal done early is something we don't really see a lot because they haven't been in the financial position to do that in recent years. So yeah, just a good little piece of business whether we've seen him or not, him being a bad goalkeeper. The only other thing it does indicate to me that we saw that Aaron Nakaspilli was sold with a low buyback to Alia. So clearly he was given a run out in the preseason. Hanzi Flick didn't trust him to be the backup and Diego Kochin is on loan to a club in Denmark. So we will see how his season goes about and if he again both those guys are still very young but even at 21 at that point uh I mean again that's still often often young. Remember, Inakup Pena didn't really get his chance until he was like 24ish years old, right? He was 24, 25 even before he really got to break through. So, we'll see what happens with those two in the future. But for now, getting a backup goalkeeper makes sense to me. Okay, that was easy. Now comes the hard stuff. Alejandra Bald, let's just run through the timeline real quick here to where we are today. It began with Orendesh, his agent, which is an agent that will also come up on our conversations later. We have an update on Maraso as well. They he meets Deko. They begin to discuss Bald's future. And after that point, Flick openly gives the option, it sounds like, for Baldday. He says, "No, I'm not forcing Baldi out the door, but I do want to uh give him some time." So, he he he does not have him for LJ. So, he says this after the fact, by the way. Um Oh, he also says something to press her beforehand, too. uh just about leaving Balde out of the >> Yeah, the before. Yeah, right. It was the before presser leaves him out of the squad for LJ to have him clear his head uh and saying he was not 100%. And so after the match then clarifies that he did not tell the player to leave that inflict did not tell Baldi to leave. He felt the player was not fully focused. So that is kind of the clear-cut 100% that is coming from the club because it's coming right from Flick. Um the things around the periphery that we've heard is that Manchester United were in on him, but they want him on a loan and Barcelona are only willing to buy to to sell him and they don't even want to buy pack. That's what's been reported. Um which again for a a player so young that is 22 turning 23 in October seems um pretty incredible. There are conflicting reports as there will be coming from Catalin journalists today about Balde has said that he has some doubts now about his future. Bald has also said that he's completely um not convinced by any of the options he has. So he's trying to stay and convince Flick. So again, we're seeing conflicting reports as expected there about Alejandra Balde. So, walk me through, Leavon, how you felt when you saw this uh this first reported and kind of where you think the club should go from from here at this point. >> Right. So, I mean, you skipped the first press conference, right? Because in the in the first press conference uh Flick was asked about Bald and he said something like hey you know everybody who is here uh absolutely needs to show the desire uh to fight for their place and I'm paraphrasing here but he basically insinuated that um whatever it is and that might not be that he does not work hard enough but he does not show that desire uh and he does not have that mental edge that Flick is looking for when players are competing for their spot. Now, you'd think that a young player who is at least physically extremely gifted, we can discuss the talent level because his football IQ has never been great. Um, but uh he is incredibly fast. Um, and there is nobody quite like him when it comes to breaking lines when dribbling out of the back in world football. So, he he he has some very specific attributes uh go going for him. You think that if a guy like that loses his starting spot, does not go to the World Cup, has the whole summer to rest or at least rest mentally, you think he'd be the hungriest guy in the squad come preseason. So for Flick for um to to actually call him out during the the pregame passer with 10 days left in the transfer window, it's just incredible. I mean, it's incredible. Also, if if the club is thinking about selling him, then Flick just dropped 30% off the price easily because don't think that potential buyers don't look at the mental aspect of of their of their transfer targets. So, if all and and that is something that you know the seller will never tell you, well, this guy is not working hard during trainer during training because you'd be you'd be beyond stupid to say that. So for Flick to say it in public, it's like, oh, okay. And then, you know, if right before the match he said, well, you know, I didn't call him up in the squad uh because to be honest with you, he wasn't 100%. Yeah, that's because, you know, they're trying to pick him off the off the asphalt cuz Flick just threw him on under the bus 24 hours earlier. Of course he know 100%. So that my thought is both flick is handling this poorly because it makes no sense. It makes no sense. If you if you want to sell the guy then don't say this at all. Uh so so my sense is that we don't really want to sell him and we're just giving him a huge kick in the ass so that he gets his um is together, you know. >> Um yeah, >> because if Bald if if if Bald competes >> then he can become a force. And I think a lot of people mistake um are mistaken when they look at footballers because they say, "Oh, you know, he's fast and uh he's got a he's got a decent technique and all of the other stuff, the positioning or the football IQ, they're going to learn that." As if that's not part of talent to begin with, as if talent is only physical or technical. No, it's not as if somebody all of a sudden becomes a lot smarter footballer. But there's definitely room for improvement if you work on it and with with his speed and his ability to break the lines and he has a decent technique like there's a foundation for for a good a top left back. I mean two seasons ago he was one of the better left backs in the world. Uh so yeah I'm I'm I'm of two minds here. one uh I I don't think the club is handling this very intelligently but more than that I think it is a tremendous shame that a kid like Bald who's from Barcelona he's kle he wants to be at the club um seemingly and I'm not blaming him he he just doesn't have that dog in him to fight for his spot and to improve so I'm I'm not sure where it's going to go from from here. Like, is his personality going to change? Is his uh desire and his hunger going to change? Maybe. But even then, if it changes, imagine he has an amazing season. Then you're in the last year of his contract. Are you going are you going to give him a huge contract knowing like while already having doubts on whether he will always give his 100%. So yes, it's it's it's very difficult to gauge. Um, and I think that even not just from the outside, I I can imagine even people in the club don't quite know what to do here. >> Yeah, I that's all especially that last year the contract thing is something really interesting that I didn't really yet consider here, especially when we're talking about his potential uh how much they're likely selling him for, right? like when I had said 30 to 40 million um I you know that feels low obviously with the the fullback market as it as it does and I'm adding Jules Kundai into this here for a second because the latest update on him. Kundai has been told that Eric Garcia is the first choice right back and that his option is return as a backup center back option and yeah potentially obviously backing up the right back spot too. Um, so Barcelona, it sounds like, is going to field some offers for him and if something suitable comes in for him, which I would say should be around 70, but it might not be at this point in the market, right? If Barcelona, again, they've already kind of played their hand now, he is the backup, so we're looking to sell him. Um, the weird thing I think about both of these situations, both Bald and Kundai, is that yes, there was a World Cup and yes, Kund was at the World Cup, but I I guess that again, Barona has felt like, we'll get to the 97 in a second, but it felt like they've flushed out their squad, like they've done their business in the transfer window nice and early, like they were looking at a left back center back option, which right now we know the name. The name is Castello Lukea from RB Lifipcake. That is a name that has been now linked. Hanzi Flick apparently has given the the Yes. He can also play at left center back or left back. So >> we think we know the name. >> But for him to come >> if we know the name, you said. Yeah, that's true. But >> we think >> we think we know the name. Sure. Um, it also is like RB Lifepick could also I I just saw one time that they his release clause is 80 mil and they might ask somewhere near there which tells me that's not going to happen then. Uh, so just yeah, that's done and dusted. But anyway, that would be the name if uh we we've seen if Kundai or if Bald are sold then that would be one of the names that that we've seen reported. Um, we've also seen the name Gonzalo Ignasio from Sporting CP. So yes, there are names that have been thrown out there who can play both at left center back and at left back. We'll we'll cross those bridges when you have to get there. But I said to your point, it feels like weird timing because it's not like this is like the middle of July or the end of the World Cup where both of these players have, you know, ideas that Hund Flick might have. Hund Flick wanted to go through preseason, saw these guys in preseason, was not satisfied with what he saw, and now has kind of made that that decision on these guys. And that is really difficult then for the club because as you said now you got a week left in the transfer window to not only ship them out but potentially do the negotiations. So I think when you when you say about the way Hanzi Flick and the sporting department it has felt like he and Deco are very aligned this summer. when you look about when you talk about Anthony Gordon, you talk about Eddie Emmy, it seems like both Deco and Flick have been aligned with the Sporting Project, but as you said, it kind of harpoons Barcelona's leverage and negotiating power here with the week out because of the way that um Flick is being, you know, very honest and very forward about it, but the club is also, you know, kind of showing their hand and saying, "All right, yeah, these are the players we're trying to offload. Do you want to buy them?" and and that's again you're giving up leverage and and negotiating power on it. And one thing I will say though from a sporting aspect like we're talking about the off the- field stuff and the financial parts but the sporting aspect is Shavia Spar this preseason in midfield short but at right back and even at left back has kind of showed this breakthrough. And we were talking about the mental aspect of it. Shavepar's mental aspect it seems like are things that can't be taught. He whether it's the through balls the the the passing the ball playing like for just 19 years old remember he is the same generation as Bernol and Kubarci and Lamin and for him to you know when I say that he's he's he's not even a late bloomer he just didn't come up at the same time that those guys did but it seems like he is a talent you know I thought he would be a B+ talent that's kind of where I had him I when I saw him in the midfield I saw him at the U16 level I saw him at U 19 level and I was like yeah this is kind of a Marcoso type not in terms of player profile they are very different but you know I thought that you know best case scenario we're going to see him and I say this is best case scenario like even last season for Barthetic I was like okay that is a Sergio Roberto type player because he is he can play in the midfield he can play at right back he just has a very good sense about him in between the ears and athletically like we know athletically it's not you know it's not 100% but but it seems like Hanzi Flick is saying for what he can't give me athletically. Eric Garcy as well, he more than makes up for it with what is between the ears. And when you have players that are athletes in front of him like Anthony Gordon, like Eddie, um, and I would even put Yeah. Not I would obviously put Rafini there. Um, but even a guy like Fine, right? When you have those guys in front of the the back line and are pressing, you need players that are smart in rest defense more than you need just guys that are going to run and run and run and run, right? You need a balance. And he is another one of those defending options that definitely brings balance to this team. So I do think that as scary the financial parts of Kundai and Baldbe are that Shavei Espar's breakthrough might be very real that we have to take very seriously in how much Shiai I mean that uh that how much Hanzi Flick is going to trust him in the absence of those guys like the fact that Shavei Espar played at left back in the in the opener against LJ which again to me was a surprise. I was like okay how are they going to line up? Is it is it Jarine moving back to left back? Eric RC will play right back with Andres Christensen and then Chavius Spar will play on right back and Hanzi Flick said no actually I trust him completely at left back and the other three are going to be where I want to see them this season and let's go forward from there and then he is Christensen Jar Martin Eric Garcia they were all good I mean obviously it's a clean sheet they really there was very few moments where things even look shaky for Barcelona in that match but the fact that Espar arguably had the best match of all four of them on the back line I think tells you where Hanzi Flick sees him now in the depth chart, too, which again is pretty shocking and amazing that you might have four players from that 07 generation being as high caliber players as as as it can be. >> Incredible, right? And um I haven't followed Tomas that much during uh during his younger career, but I do know people who who watch Barcel athletic and who watch youth teams and they were saying that, you know, he never looked like a sure thing to break through to the to the first team. He never he never really stood out when he was younger. >> No. >> Um and so I don't know. All of a sudden he's going from Chavi asparagus to Chavi asparticus. >> So good good for him. Let's hope let's hope he keeps it up. I mean you you never know how this goes, you know, because it's one thing to impress during a couple of matches. Uh it's another thing to do it over the course of a season and quite another to do it over the course of a career. I mean we have Bald as an example. Um, we have Casado as an example as well. So, so we don't know, but you know, wish with the kid. Well, I think it's very interesting that when Flick arrived, everybody was already talking about the highline and the first thing we said was like, "Oh, is going to be incredibly important because he's the only one that we have with the speed to to correct uh the gaps of the defense on our high line are all out." Then we have Bald and Bald is even faster than he also has that speed to correct gaps in the back line. And now Bald is on on the brink at least. And already Bald lost his starting spot to uh to Canelo who never was the fastest but less so now that he's getting older. Um so yeah there is that balance where we have a lot of speed up front up front now. Um in the midfield you don't need it as much. Um, but I would like to see at least one or two fast players in the squad or one or two fast defenders in the squad >> uh to balance it out. Now, if we don't