Riera to be sold?

[TheBunnyman]

I posted this on a hunch a week or two ago, but the thread got derailed, so here goes again. And now I have some (slight) evidence for my theory: Albert Riera is not injured; he was not in the squad v Spurs or Atletico because he is about to be sold/part-exchanged to fund the David Silva deal.

This is from the Guardian:

Barcelona's sporting director, Txiki Begiristain, admits the club may not make any more moves in the transfer market, despite his coach's belief that the squad is too small. The European champions have all but given up on bringing Arsenal's Cesc Fábregas back to Camp Nou and speculation is rife that they have switched their attention to the Liverpool winger Albert Riera.

The former Espanyol player is the latest in a long list to be linked to Barça, who have signed only Maxwell and Zlatan Ibrahimovic this summer while their rivals Real Madrid have spent lavishly.

But Begiristain has not ruled out the possibility there will be no more new faces before the transfer window closes at the end of the month. "It is possible that no one will come in," he said. "Who comes in has to convince us, and above all the coaches.

"We have gone after who they wanted, but the players we want aren't cheap because they obviously have to be very good. The problem is the alternatives, and you have to evaluate if they improve what you have."

However, the Barça coach, Pep Guardiola, said recently that they are lacking players in several positions. Samuel Eto'o, Martin Caceres and Alexander Hleb have left the club and the assistant coach, Tito Vilanova, is concerned the treble-winners have not replaced them. He said: "We have always liked small squads because like that everyone can take part, but we have already said that this year, with so many games to play, we need more players.

"At the moment we are missing several players because we have not covered Hleb's departure nor that of Caceres."

On Saturday Guardiola ruled out the possibility of signing Fábregas this summer, but Begiristain has not given up completely on the club's former youth player, saying only that "it is very difficult".

 

[Hooz]

Where do you get the Silva angle from?

Frogfish?

 

[TheBunnyman]

[quote author=Hooz link=topic=35290.msg926445#msg926445 date=1250515283]
Where do you get the Silva angle from?

Frogfish?
[/quote]

Instinct.

And look, Michael Owen agrees with me...

Albert Riera became a major part of Rafa Benitez’ first team plans last season, filling the boots on the left hand side which Dutch youngster Ryan Babel simply couldn’t. So after a great game against Spain, in which the winger bagged himself a goal, questions have to be asked as to why he wasn’t even in the squad for today’s Spurs game.

Firstly, he isn’t injured. If he was it would have been reported. Secondly even if he was a bit tired after playing for the national squad it’s most likely in normal circumstances he would have at least been in the squad against Spurs as our squads been stretched thin enough with a number of major injuries.

One name comes to mind in all of this. David Silva. The Valencia winger has been linked with a number of clubs, including the reds, and it would make sense if Reira was a part of a deal which would bring the 22-year-old to Anfield to fill the gap on the left hand side and help us push for number 19.

This is merely my own theory on why he’s missing. For all we know he may have had a bad pre-season or he may just be out of favour with the manager. But the question is still there and hopefully we’ll find out soon enough, hopefully it is someone new and world-class.

M. Owen

michael@empireofthekop.com

 

[Whitey85]

Maybe we are getting another new player to fill the vacant number 7 shirt. Heres hoping hes not shite.

 

[ArneSlot4PM]

3-4 papers are running the story about Riera being sold.

As much as i want more attacking players to be signed, i hope we don't have to sell another decent 1st teamer to be able to afford them.

 

[Oncy]

I am not in favour of trading Silva and Riera.

 

[HC]

I've always said I hope we don't lose Riera for Silva and that is still the case.

 

[Hooz]

My theory is he's going to be sold as part of a part-ex deal for Stelios Giannakopoulos, a long-term Benitez target.

You can quote me on that.

 

[TheBunnyman]

[quote author=Rafa4PM link=topic=35290.msg926449#msg926449 date=1250515513]
3-4 papers are running the story about Riera being sold.

As much as i want more attacking players to be signed, i hope we don't have to sell another decent 1st teamer to be able to afford them.


[/quote]

Which papers?

 

[rage]

riera is NOT injured. there is something else going on here.
i'd rather we traded babel (if anyone would have him) as riera is a different type of player. silva and babel (a babel on form) would be too similar.

 

[Oncy]

[quote author=Hooz link=topic=35290.msg926454#msg926454 date=1250515623]
My theory is he's going to be sold as part of a part-ex deal for Stelios Giannakopoulos, a long-term Benitez target.

You can quote me on that.
[/quote]I am not in favour of trading Stelios for Riera.

 

[Whitey85]

[quote author=rage link=topic=35290.msg926457#msg926457 date=1250515691]
riera is NOT injured. there is something else going on here.
i'd rather we traded babel (if anyone would have him) as riera is a different type of player. silva and babel (a babel on form) would be too similar.[/quote]

Wheres the similarities?

 

[ArneSlot4PM]

[quote author=TheBunnyman link=topic=35290.msg926455#msg926455 date=1250515664]
[quote author=Rafa4PM link=topic=35290.msg926449#msg926449 date=1250515513]
3-4 papers are running the story about Riera being sold.

As much as i want more attacking players to be signed, i hope we don't have to sell another decent 1st teamer to be able to afford them.


[/quote]

Which papers?

[/quote]

The Daily Mail was one of them.

"European champions Barcelona line up Liverpool's Albert Riera as time runs out on bid for Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas"

 

[Oncy]

[quote author=rage link=topic=35290.msg926457#msg926457 date=1250515691]
riera is NOT injured. there is something else going on here.
i'd rather we traded babel (if anyone would have him) as riera is a different type of player. silva and babel (a babel on form) would be too similar.
[/quote]We couldnt trade Babel for a handful of 'magic beans'

 

[rage]

neither are wingers to start with?

 

[Squiggles]

I dismissed it when this was first suggested because it was just pre-season and figured he was mourning still, or whatever. But there certainly is something suspicious about his omission from the first team yesterday. If he isn't injured, there's few rational explanations for his absence, other than he is being lined up for a transfer to another club as part of a deal. Whether it's Silva or not, I'm not so sure; we do know Benitez is an admirer, but he thought Valencia's early summer valuation of £30M was overpriced.

I'd just find it odd Benitez would so readily replace Riera after a promising debut season, as well as playing so well for Spain this summer. Not that I'm necessarily against the idea, I'm just surprised Benitez would be for it.











 

 

[keniget]

I didn't want us to sign him last summer, but now that he's here I don't see the point in selling him on unless it's for some absurd fee. In situations like these where the first teamer being replaced is kinda squaddie material anyways, I'd like to see us build up strength in depth by keeping him if possible.

 

[ArneSlot4PM]

*Edit*

 

[Squiggles]

[quote author=Rafa4PM link=topic=35290.msg926466#msg926466 date=1250516068]
*Edit*
[/quote]

I dunno, maybe for Spain?

 

[ArneSlot4PM]

[quote author=Squiggles link=topic=35290.msg926471#msg926471 date=1250516243]
[quote author=Rafa4PM link=topic=35290.msg926466#msg926466 date=1250516068]
*Edit*
[/quote]

I dunno, maybe for Spain?
[/quote]

Yes you're right Squiggs.

He scored and dedicated the goal to his mate.

 

[TheBunnyman]

[quote author=keniget link=topic=35290.msg926464#msg926464 date=1250515913]
I didn't want us to sign him last summer, but now that he's here I don't see the point in selling him on unless it's for some absurd fee. In situations like these where the first teamer being replaced is kinda squaddie material anyways, I'd like to see us build up strength in depth by keeping him if possible.
[/quote]

Of course, ideally we'd keep him AND sign another ace LW. But it's pretty clear that we're restricted financially, and Riera's value has gone up dramatically in the past year because of his international form (4 goals in 14 matches). It might be our only means of signing a class attacker this summer.

 

[rage]

what would we get for riera? £15 million maybe

 

[spider-Neil]

[quote author=rage link=topic=35290.msg926477#msg926477 date=1250516472]
what would we get for riera? £15 million maybe
[/quote]

pounds? seriously?

 

[Insignificance]

Imagine in a 2-3 years from now, when both aquilani and silva has settled into the premiership! Imagine the fee we can recoup for them then!!!!

 

[Squiggles]

I don't think £15M unachievable, given his stocks never been higher and the weakness of the pound.

£12-15M's a fair valuation.

(Silva's being around £23-25M)

 

[keniget]

[quote author=TheBunnyman link=topic=35290.msg926475#msg926475 date=1250516355]
[quote author=keniget link=topic=35290.msg926464#msg926464 date=1250515913]
I didn't want us to sign him last summer, but now that he's here I don't see the point in selling him on unless it's for some absurd fee. In situations like these where the first teamer being replaced is kinda squaddie material anyways, I'd like to see us build up strength in depth by keeping him if possible.
[/quote]

Of course, ideally we'd keep him AND sign another ace LW. But it's pretty clear that we're restricted financially, and Riera's value has gone up dramatically in the past year because of his international form (4 goals in 14 matches). It might be our only means of signing a class attacker this summer.
[/quote]

Has it?

If we take the Barca interest as genuine, how much more than the 8M we paid do you think they be prepared to offer for a player who would serve as backup / competition for Henry?

 

[koze]

[quote author=Insignificance link=topic=35290.msg926483#msg926483 date=1250516913]
Imagine in a 2-3 years from now, when both aquilani and silva has settled into the premiership! Imagine the fee we can recoup for them then!!!!
[/quote]
Ha!

 

[Oncy]

[quote author=Insignificance link=topic=35290.msg926483#msg926483 date=1250516913]
Imagine in a 2-3 years from now, when both aquilani and silva has settled into the premiership! Imagine the fee we can recoup for them then!!!!
[/quote]🙁

Benitez = tinkermaniac.

 

[spider-Neil]

if rafa sells riera he HAS to have a top draw attacker he is waiting to buy, seriously rafa can't be that daft not to.

 

[Hooz]

It's more likely that we'll just sell him and not bother with a replacement.

I'd love that.