[Albion] Valentín Barco **Season Loan To Sevilla 23/08/24**

[Hugo Rune]

I’m still hoping that this rumour has developed because Porto are controlling the narrative and it’s what they want; we’re just keeping quiet as usual.

I hope and believe that he’ll be back with us at some point but he is still very young and probably needs a successful loan first.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

It would feel rather premature to be giving up on Barco - but I don't think it is really THAT strange. I was hugely excited by his signing - but he's been so disappointing. I honestly just don't think he's very good.

That horrific afternoon at Bournemouth last season has scarred me. He was so, so bad in that game that it really stood out - far more so even than Odel Offiah and Mark O'Mahony who were also thrown in by RDZ that day.

Probably had the discussion before, but he certainly wasn’t as bad you are making out, and certainly not compared to Offiah and O’Mahoney.

I’m disappointed and would argue that you don’t get called up to the full Argentinian squad even just to train if you are ‘not very good’.

As others have pointed out he did get som red cards and maybe it’s an attitude/lack of maturity thing.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Probably had the discussion before, but he certainly wasn’t as bad you are making out, and certainly not compared to Offiah and O’Mahoney.

I’m disappointed and would argue that you don’t get called up to the full Argentinian squad even just to train if you are ‘not very good’.

As others have pointed out he did get som red cards and maybe it’s an attitude/lack of maturity thing.

He really was. As soon as the ball goes in the air, he is especially poor. He's scared of an arial challenge - literally shirks from it. He can't defend at all.

Obviously, he's a young player, and has loads of scope to improve, on all or any aspects of his game. But, from an admittedly small sample size, I've been completely unimpressed - despite the fanfare and reputation he arrived with.

I daresay we've let equally talented, less exotic players, leave over the last few seasons, without any fan anguish.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

He really was. As soon as the ball goes in the air, he is especially poor. He's scared of an arial challenge - literally shirks from it. He can't defend at all.

Obviously, he's a young player, and has loads of scope to improve, on all or any aspects of his game. But, from an admittedly small sample size, I've been completely unimpressed - despite the fanfare and reputation he arrived with.

I daresay we've let equally talented, less exotic players, leave over the last few seasons, without any fan anguish.

And it is a small sample.
I obviously watched a different game to you at Bournemouth, because he really wasn’t , but out of all our LBs/LWBs he undoubtedly delivers the best ball, but he is primarily a LWB and not a LB.

If anything he needed the type of physical transformation that Enciso went through, perhaps he wasn’t as committed, but given that Porto hold an apparent healthy interest in him, he must have something.

 

[The Fits]

He has to be worth more than 8-10 million euros, surely?
An odd one this.
The guy can’t defend and doesn’t remotely look like a defender but seems to have bags of potential as a midfielder/winger.
Could he not contribute as a LWB?
Win some lose some I guess.

 

[Bodian]

Agreed.

And Barco’s manager at Boca Jnrs said exactly that.

Man City pulled back from closing on Barco apparently because of “discipline“ issues. I posted up thread at the time but will try and find a link.

Edit

EXCLUSIVO: por ESTO el City desistió de comprar al Colo Barco

El futuro de la última gran joya de Boca estará en el Brighton de la Premier League, pero el City Group había sido el primero en poner sus ojos en él. Sin embargo, hubo 2 razones por las que terminó desistiendo de llevárselo.

bolavip.com

“It is that, to their outstanding performances on the court, some internal episodes, fights and crosses with coaches that made noise in Boca began to be added. In fact, after his debut in the First Division with Miguel Ángel Russo in 2020, he had to wait almost two years to see action again in the first team.”

Reasons Manchester City gave up on signing revealed - Leave transfer for another club - Sport Witness

The Argentine media is today full of stories about Brighton & Hove Albion’s chase for Valentin Barco, as they’re said to be close to landing the Boca Juniors player. It had been Manchester City who first heavily linked to the player, although Pep Guardiola’s side never concluded the move. Now...

sportwitness.co.uk

But surely we would also have known this, and given our 'no dickheads' unwritten policy - wouldn't have signed him in the first place?

 

[Zeberdi]

He really was. As soon as the ball goes in the air, he is especially poor. He's scared of an arial challenge - literally shirks from it. He can't defend at all.

Obviously, he's a young player, and has loads of scope to improve, on all or any aspects of his game. But, from an admittedly small sample size, I've been completely unimpressed - despite the fanfare and reputation he arrived with.

I daresay we've let equally talented, less exotic players, leave over the last few seasons, without any fan anguish.

That’s a bit harsh.

He didn’t defend well with us (I think for the reasons I said above) but If he couldn’t defend at all, I honestly don’t think we would have signed him because we were looking to shore up our left back position long term if you remember - the only ‘warning’ he came with was a doubtful attitude and that he was a 19 year old kid who’d never played Premier League football. He’s like Lampty, a ball-progressing player that needs to be playing a wingback/midfield position. Agree re. Tackling - he runs into defenders then relinquishes possession too easily but I was hauled over the coals for saying that last season so will soften it by saying he is/was like most 19 years olds coming into the EPL, he needed to bulk up - the number of newly signed young players we see either falling over or diving or simply avoiding tackling - Buonanotte was just like that when he arrived.

Barco isn’t ready for our first team but we really shouldn’t sell the lad imo, based on an attitude and half a season in a loan Club that hasn’t helped him develop - plus a few minutes here and there under a manager who had one foot out of the door and little interest in progressing young players and certainly not for a pittance of of his potential value .

 

[Zeberdi]

But surely we would also have known this, and given our 'no dickheads' unwritten policy - wouldn't have signed him in the first place?

Maybe he’s only a dick head with dickhead managers?

I really would have liked him to work with Fab this season.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

That’s a bit harsh.

He didn’t defend well with us (I think for the reasons I said above) but If he couldn’t defend at all, I honestly don’t think we would have signed him because we were looking to shore up our left back position long term if you remember - the only ‘warning’ he came with was a doubtful attitude and that he was a 19 year old kid who’d never played Premier League football. He’s like Lampty, a ball-progressing player that needs to be playing a wingback/midfield position. Agree re. Tackling - he runs into defenders then relinquishes possession too easily but I was hauled over the coals for saying that last season so will soften it by saying he is/was like most 19 years olds coming into the EPL, he needed to bulk up - the number of newly signed young players we see either falling over or diving or simply avoiding tackling - Buonanotte was just like that when he arrived.

Barco isn’t ready for our first team but we really shouldn’t sell the lad imo, based on an attitude and half a season in a loan Club that hasn’t helped him develop - plus a few minutes here and there under a manager who had one foot out of the door and little interest in progressing young players and certainly not for a pittance of of his potential value .

I’m not being harsh. I’m judging him completely objectively based on what I’ve actually seen him do on the pitch. I’d suggest that people refusing to do that, and instead assuming some kind of attitude problem, are in many ways being more harsh.

and as for ‘we wouldn’t have signed him, if he couldn’t defend at all’ - even the best scouts and data sets, get some wrong.

 

[Zeberdi]

I’m not being harsh. I’m judging him completely objectively based on what I’ve actually seen him do on the pitch. I’d suggest that people refusing to do that, and instead assuming some kind of attitude problem, are in many ways being more harsh.

So was I.

I have objectively made comments (up thread) where he is weak on the football as well as his attitude but whether it’s 6 of 1 or half dozen of the other, his age has a lot to do with it. Some latitude wouldn’t go amiss by those ready to bin him off halfway through his first full season on loan (and after half a season with us where he barely had the chance to bed in) and be so ready to do so for such a low fee as mentioned above. I thought we were a Club that prided itself on developing youngsters?

So his loan hasn’t worked out, that’s not unusual, it happens - but then let’s find him another loan, one that doesn’t try and strong arm us into an obligation to sell.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

So was I.

I have objectively made comments (up thread) where he is weak on the football as well as his attitude but whether it’s 6 of 1 or half dozen of the other, his age has a lot to do with it.

Only quite apparently (IMO) he isn’t weak at football, it really is a matter of opinion.
At 19 you aren’t going to be the finished product, so there will always be areas for improvement.

 

[Han Solo]

Well, I've spent more time on Barco today than I've done overall so far before... and the more I read from Spain and Argentina, the less convinced I am about the guy... there's no massive red flags but small orange ones everywhere.

It appears that before we signed him, Paris SG had some interest but backed out because they didn't want to deal with the agent Ruocco. Manchester City were also interested, but weren't impressed by the players temper and that he didn't fit into their squad build. Maybe because - like Boca chairman Riquelme said - "Barco doesn't know if he's a defender or midfielder".

The current situation seems to be that he is training with Sevilla because they can't afford to send him back to us (would likely have to pay up whatever percentage of his wages they were going to pay until the summer) and we're only willing to accept their recall if we can find another club. Other than FC Porto the only rumours seem to have been about South American clubs and I guess we (and he as well) prefer Porto for different reasons. Just like when we signed him, there's not a lot of competition...

Plenty Portuguese media says that FC Porto are getting us a better deal for him than Sevilla did. Reading between the lines this might mean a loan fee and/or that Sevilla has not been paying 100% of his wages.

Based on the last few hours of digging and reading... we might have made an oopsie when signing this player and there's a risk he might be quite handsomely paid. Will be interesting to see where this all goes in the end.

 

[Zeberdi]

But surely we would also have known this, and given our 'no dickheads' unwritten policy - wouldn't have signed him in the first place?

It didn’t stop us signing a manager that turned out to be a dick head because he couldn’t have what he wanted.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Maybe he’s only a dick head with dickhead managers?

I really would have liked him to work with Fab this season.

Great call.

 

[jackalbion]

Isn’t the whole point that some make it and some don’t, and the ones that don’t we still make a profit on? I don’t think we preselect the latter group for not making it, I think it’s just the way it goes.

Yeah definitely, I’m just not 100% sure if I’m comfortable with it I suppose, in a world football context I suppose.

 

[Mancgull]

Nothing to do with ability or attitude, in the new FH world, Barco is at least 18 inches too small

I do think that Fab likes players with height.

 

[Taybha]

Yeah terrible defender

 

[US Seagull]

Disappointing if we lose him. But it's entirely possible that he just couldn't settle in England. Maybe he just really didn't like the weather?

 

[Rdodge30]

That figure can’t be right for the sell on?

It all seems unfathomable from the outside.

Remember the absolute public outrage from his former chairman totally slating Brighton for practically stealing such a valuable asset ?

 

[Zeberdi]

Only quite apparently (IMO) he isn’t weak at football, it really is a matter of opinion.
At 19 you aren’t going to be the finished product, so there will always be areas for improvement.

That’s not quite what I said.

I said that I had pointed out “where he is weak on the football’ ie aspects of his game.

- he clearly clearly isn’t weak “at“ football but he does have some weaknesses to his game - and unsurprisingly for a lateral midfielder/wingback being played as LB and for an 19 year who is still developing physically and mentally.

Maybe it’s these South American kids - Facu was terribly homesick when he came to England, hated the weather, said he was cold all the time, missed his family, was struggling with Roberto using him as a winger, suffered from depression by all accounts …. now look at him. A good loan with guaranteed starts makes all the difference.