[Albion] Valentín Barco **Signed 20/01/24**

[jackalbion]

That’ll please RDZ.

Do you genuinely think if De Zerbi said, I want to keep him for depth, the club would go above him? I think that’s absolute madness to think so, De Zerbi is a massive part of this decision making process. He will stay at least this season.

 

[Oh_aye]

Just wanted to share some feedback from a relative of mine who lives in Buenas Aires (he is Argentinian) and is a Boca fanatic. Here are a few extracts:

• He's been the best player of Boca in 2023. So talented
• He started as a left side defender and as he was so talented the coach change his position and put him as a midfielder and in some matches as a forward
• He is not so good when he has to defend, mostly because he is young and doesn't have a body. But he has a great attitude
• He is small and needs a few visits to the gym
• He has a strong personality. He started playing at the first team and didn't feel the pressure. He fastly became one of the 11 starters. He pushed the team forward in the field and has been very creative, something that the team needed desperately
• On the otherside I can tell you that I also have my doubts about his personality. He played only 35 matches at Boca, and became famous very fast. This year he had a few problems in some matches because he make fun of some rivals
• Yes, he has everything to be an important player of the team. He also played de U20 WC for Argentina
• The thing that most impress me about him is that he played very well on the moments that Boca was a total disaster. Although he was new in the team he changed everything
• Brighton seems to be a good destination for the young argentinian players, we have seen very all what happened with Alexis
• The player had a few fights with his contract and wanted a low contractual clause (I don't know if that's the correct word) so he could be easily bought from a european team

In summary, a talent with a strong personality!

Think the physicality thing might be the biggest barrier. Let's face it you have to be a bit of an arrogant get to make it in the prem.

Regarding the physicality thing though, both Enciso and Buonanotte adapted to that side relatively quickly. Enciso pushed off thrle ball regularly to begin with quickly became more triangular as the season went on and Buonanottes not only ability but glad willingness to get stuck in has been one of my favourite things about him

 

[Hugo Rune]

Do you genuinely think if De Zerbi said, I want to keep him for depth, the club would go above him? I think that’s absolute madness to think so, De Zerbi is a massive part of this decision making process. He will stay at least this season.

Tough (but not impossible) to sort a loan for the rest of this season seeing that he is due to arrive in February after the window has slammed shut.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

I'll eat my hat if he goes out on loan, simply not going to happen with a player of his calibre.

 

[footywithuti]

Afternoon everyone, here’s a 2 minute video detailing everything you need to know about Valentin Barco for those interested. I’ve been making content on Brighton for a few years now, and believe me when I say this, he’s the best signing the club have made so far! Wicked talent, do let me know what you think and I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have!

 

[jackalbion]

Tough (but not impossible) to sort a loan for the rest of this season seeing that he is due to arrive in February after the window has slammed shut.

If he was to go on loan for the rest of the season it would have to be South American based IMO. Incredibly hard to essentially drag him to a new continent and drop him somewhere he’s never going to play beyond 6 months. I think he stay until at least next season, but I wouldn’t be against a loan move.

 

[Oh_aye]

I'll eat my hat if he goes out on loan, simply not going to happen with a player of his calibre.

I think they'll Ayari / Buonanotte him.

Squad player and conditioning this season with dips into the 21/23's where necessary for pattern play and climate conditioning etc (remember Enciso was still doing this in the first half of last season).

Then see where he's at at the end of the season.

 

[Hugo Rune]

Afternoon everyone, here’s a 2 minute video detailing everything you need to know about Valentin Barco for those interested. I’ve been making content on Brighton for a few years now, and believe me when I say this, he’s the best signing the club have made so far! Wicked talent, do let me know what you think and I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have!

Nice video.

I can’t bloody wait either Uti!

 

[Krafty]

Afternoon everyone, here’s a 2 minute video detailing everything you need to know about Valentin Barco for those interested. I’ve been making content on Brighton for a few years now, and believe me when I say this, he’s the best signing the club have made so far! Wicked talent, do let me know what you think and I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have!

Very excited. What positions can he play?

 

[rebel51]

I thought the whole point of signing someone was for them to come straight into our squad and ready to play, not all this Bullshilt loaning out business. I know it's what we do, but this time I didn't think that would be the case.

 

[Hugo Rune]

I thought the whole point of signing someone was for them to come straight into our squad and ready to play, not all this Bullshilt loaning out business. I know it's what we do, but this time I didn't think that would be the case.

Here is Owen doubting whether we’ll be doing much business this window but more interestingly, suggesting the club believe we don’t actually need any immediate strengthening.

Brighton's transfer window strategy will stick to long term plan and not stopgaps

How the last three weeks of the January transfer window currently looks for Brighton - and what Roberto De Zerbi has said

www.theargus.co.uk

 

[veuve]

Afternoon everyone, here’s a 2 minute video detailing everything you need to know about Valentin Barco for those interested. I’ve been making content on Brighton for a few years now, and believe me when I say this, he’s the best signing the club have made so far! Wicked talent, do let me know what you think and I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have!

Excellent video.

 

[Zeberdi]

Tough (but not impossible) to sort a loan for the rest of this season seeing that he is due to arrive in February after the window has slammed shut.

Surely when we signed him, it was with the knowledge that he will be heading straight into the first squad as a back up for Pervis also as a back up winger/MF player - not to go out on loan - but if he was signed to go out in loan, the club will arrange that during this window wouldn’t they?

But taking your point and going with it - If hypothetically, a player is signed for going out on loan, that loan agreement can be in the same window if it is not to another premier league club so there’s no reason why a loan agreement can’t be agreed during the window but that actually allows him to play his international break until February (and I thought under 21s are exempt from Fifa loan restrictions anyway aren’t they?) - the same way a transfer agreement would allow a player to complete international duty before starting at a new club.

(Not that he will be going out in loan this season, that would be ridiculous imo given his level of ability and positional versatility)

Edit - I agree with Owen’s assessment in part (and mentioned the same previously) - with Barco now in and presumably able to play in several positions, there is no reason to bloat the squad with players we won’t have a place for after mid-February or unless they are an obvious investment opportunity for us. It is a baptism of fire but by all accounts he has the personality to deal with it. Until then, RDZs tactical tweaks in formation has allowed us to play our recent PL matches without a winger by using lateral midfielders - and playing our strikers wide - we managed to beat Spurs 4-2 and draw with Wolves* with a ‘wingerless team‘, so I’m sure we can manage the next 4 matches until then. (CP might be the toughest one).

*Edit: memory refreshed, it was WHU

 

[Mellotron]

Can’t wait to see him and Enciso linking up. Gonna be some liquid football.

 

[chaileyjem]

Buonanotte, Enciso, Alexis all found it tough to get used to PL football at first. Only Caicedo looked ready (and he’d been loaned out).

Barco needs experience and needs game time to develop - he’s played very little first team football - so saying that a loan is possibly part of the plan is just the obvious. Depends on the right club, the right time (now ? , the summer ? ) injuries, if he impresses RDZ etc. But hardly a surprise it’s being considered.

That said - My guess is he’ll train with the first team until at least the summer.

 

[macbeth]

Here is Owen doubting whether we’ll be doing much business this window but more interestingly, suggesting the club believe we don’t actually need any immediate strengthening.

Brighton's transfer window strategy will stick to long term plan and not stopgaps

How the last three weeks of the January transfer window currently looks for Brighton - and what Roberto De Zerbi has said

www.theargus.co.uk

manager is on record disagreeing with that. know who i trust more

 

[Greg Bobkin]

That’ll please RDZ.

Maybe it was his decision and/or driven by him?

By his own admission, RDZ is proper FULL-ON. Can you imagine a young player in a brand new league, country and environment undergoing that level of intensity (even given how confident Carco is reported to be) and then being asked to immediately perform at the highest level and hit the ground running?

Anyway, what happened to this all being a 'DONE DEAL' and him going straight into the first team? I'm sure that's what many on here and ITK agent-botherers/Twitter scourers have told us for DAYS...

 

[GT49er]

If he'd arrived earlier and had a month to meet the team and acclimatise himself a little to Brighton, a loan might have been an option, but as he's not arriving until February, whipping him straight off to Stoke/Blackburn/Coventry [insert Championship club of your choice] without so much as a whiff of sea air would not be the best way to help him settle in England.
My guess (and it is only a guess) is that he'll stay with the squad in Brighton.

 

[Zeberdi]

If he'd arrived earlier and had a month to meet the team and acclimatise himself a little to Brighton, a loan might have been an option, but as he's not arriving until February, whipping him straight off to Stoke/Blackburn/Coventry [insert Championship club of your choice] without so much as a whiff of sea air would not be the best way to help him settle in England.
My guess (and it is only a guess) is that he'll stay with the squad in Brighton.

I’m pretty sure if we keep Barco at Brighton for the first team squad when he is only loan standard, it won’t be just because he’s not arriving until February. A January window isn’t long enough to bring a player over, sort out the transfer certificates, relocate his family etc and give him a month to acclimatise himself with the club whether he arrives on the 2nd January or not. We already either think he’s ready to join the squad or he isn’t (notwithstanding he will need time to acclimate and bed in anyway if we keep him) I think if we were considering not having Barco in the squad but going straight out on loan, we would have done as we did with MacAllister and signed him from Boca, leaving him at Boca until the summer transfer window or loan him out to another team like Argentinos until the summer/longer if it was required - not drag the lad all the way over to England in the middle of the winter if we have no room for him in the first team. It may be that he doesn’t settle in/get up to PL condition by the summer, in which case it will be an option then like it was with Caceido.

 

[GT49er]

I’m pretty sure if we keep Barco at Brighton for the first team squad when he is only loan standard, it won’t be just because he’s not arriving until February. We already either think he’s ready to join the squad or he isn’t (notwithstanding he will need time to acclimate and bed in anyway if we keep him) I think if we were considering not having Barco in the squad but going straight out on loan, we would have done as we did with MacAllister and signed him from Boca, leaving him at Boca until the summer transfer window or loan him out to another team like Argentinos until the summer/longer if it was required - not drag the lad all the way over to England in the middle of the winter if we have no room for him in the first team. It may be that he doesn’t settle in/get up to PL condition by the summer, in which case it will be an option then.

Wouldn't be much point in loaning him back to Boca - their season doesn't start now until the middle of May.