Ibrahim Afellay (Barcelona)

Liverpool Plot Surprise £9m Bid for Barcelona Attacker

Dutch sources believe that Liverpool will attempt to lure Ibrahim Afellay from Barcelona this summer, just months after he joined the the Catalan club. The Dutch international playmaker is said to be unhappy about his lack of first team chances and this has led to speculation that the former PSV Eindhoven man may be interested in a swift Nou Camp exit.
Having seen Alexander Hleb stagnate at the club, the 24 year old is apparently keeping his options open and should an offer come in that Pep Guardiola is amenable to then Afellay may well leave the club he joined in January for a fee of £2m.
Liverpool were closely linked with Afellay as he drew toward the end of his PSV contract and in the end the attacking midfielder opted to move to Barcelona, knowing full well that it would be tough going for him to placate any member of the all conquering side.
Thus far Ibrahim Afellay has completed just 287 minutes of first team football and made just three starts, two of which came in the Copa Del Rey. Liverpool Director of Football Damien Comolli is known to be a big admirer of the Utrecht born attacker and indeed tried to sign the player when he was employed by Tottenham.
Sources state that an offer of around £9m may sway Barcelona into considering a sale of a player who they got ‘on the cheap’ due to the fact his PSV contract was due to come to an end in the summer.

http://www.caughtoffside.com/2011/02/18/liverpool-plot-surprise-9m-bid-for-barcelona-attacker/

Don't know how much truth there is in this but £9m for Afellay is a steal. He's still only 24 so re saleability is high and he fits the NESV mold.

He's only just moved to Barcelona. No chance he'll move any time soon. Caughtoffside is the worst source on the Internet. Doubt there's any truth in this. He is a very good player who likes to play through the middle, but I think he's better out wide.

 Why should we spend 9 million on him when Barcelona paid 3-4 million no more then a month ago.

Bullshit article. I know for a fact that he didn't expect to play much this season, or even next.

Barcelona may want to loan him, like they do with many other good players but not enough for their first team.

Barcelona may want to loan him, like they do with many other good players but not enough for their first team.

Why would they loan a player they just brought? Not like he's still developing as a player.

Why would they loan a player they just brought? Not like he's still developing as a player.

Is this Afellay we're talking about or Zlatan Ibrahimovic? 

Is this Afellay we're talking about or Zlatan Ibrahimovic? 

Only reason they loaned him was because he was on 200k a week and it would save them a lot of money to loan him. Completely different to Afellay.

Is this Afellay we're talking about or Zlatan Ibrahimovic? 

Or Alexander Hleb

Or maybe Caecres or Kerrison? Theres four lfc-ynwa that enough for you?

Or Alexander Hleb

Or maybe Caecres or Kerrison? Theres four lfc-ynwa that enough for you?

I didn't ask for anything? Afellay won't move to us anytime in the near future, END OFF.  Willing to put a tenner on it?

Afellay won't move to us anytime in the near future, END OFF.

Totally different to the F***ing daft speak you came out with earlier tho', ain't it?

It's your opinion that he won't come, fair enough but don't get the F***ing hump when others pull you on your reasoning.

He has been sh*te for them when he has played,honestly are some of these players stupid where the F**k did he expect to fit into the team. Said it was a terrible move for him at the time and it is turning out tobe

Totally different to the f**king daft speak you came out with earlier tho', ain't it?

It's your opinion that he won't come, fair enough but don't get the f**king hump when others pull you on your reasoning.

There is very little evidence that he'll be coming here. That article is from caughtoffside, which is as unreliable as it comes and there are no quotes in it at all add that with him arriving to Barcelona last month.

What did I say earlier that was daft?

Stupid this will never happen.Think we should try get mash back on loan if thats the case.

Would love this lad to come to LFC. Been wanting him on our RW for the last 3 years. Go get him Damien.

wish we went in for him b4 barca bought him...but its very unlikely now

Big fan but don't think it's plausible.

Big fan but don't think it's plausible.

Yeah same. He hasn't been sh*t for Barca when he has played, it is just that he is up against it to get in the starting XI

When he does play for Barca is it out wide or through the middle?

I've watched him a few times and he has looked fairly poor for them and I wouldn't be surprised if they off loade him in the Summer, be interesting to see would Dexter think he would be a good signing

Barcelona didn't get him expecting to immediately make an impact for them. Obviously there's a big gap between PSV and Barcelona, and he'll need time to settle in and adjust to their style of play. He can't communicate at the moment with his teammates either, since he doesn't speak Spanish and most of them only speak Spanish and not English. That's why they got him now, then he'll be more settled in when next season starts. Barcelona got him because he makes good backup for Pedro and Iniesta and could possibly grow to be a good player for them in 2 seasons or so, if he hasn't by then then no loss for them since he came on the cheap. Afellay doesn't mind being benched at the moment, he chose for this. Can't see Barcelona offloading him this summer.

valdes explain to Afellay what to do

 

Barcelona didn't get him expecting to immediately make an impact for them. Obviously there's a big gap between PSV and Barcelona, and he'll need time to settle in and adjust to their style of play. He can't communicate at the moment with his teammates either, since he doesn't speak Spanish and most of them only speak Spanish and not English. That's why they got him now, then he'll be more settled in when next season starts. Barcelona got him because he makes good backup for Pedro and Iniesta and could possibly grow to be a good player for them in 2 seasons or so, if he hasn't by then then no loss for them since he came on the cheap. Affelay doesn't mind being benched at the moment, he chose for this. Can't see Barcelona offloading him this summer.

I thought Pedro's back up was Bojan. Does that mean they might be willing to let him go? The player does want first team football which is not possible at Barcelona.

I thought Pedro's back up was Bojan. Does that mean they might be willing to let him go? The player does want first team football which is not possible at Barcelona.

I think Pedro, Afellay, Villa, Bojan and Messi can all pretty much play on both wings if needed. So who is who's backup exactly is hard to say, but currently they have 2 wingers at least for each side, taking into consideration that Messi plays as the striker. Afellay can play on left wing, right wing, or in Iniesta's position as attacking midfielder. Don't think they'll let Bojan go, don't think he even wants to. Think he recently said he wants to succeed at Barcelona.