Spain

Spanish Debate: Barcelona, Toure, And Cutting Losses

Ewan Macdonald looks at the probable transfer of Yaya Touré to Juventus from Barcelona, and wonders whether or not this is the best move for all concerned...

Oct 13, 2008 12:45:07 PM

Yaya Toure - Barcelona

In case you missed it, it seems as if Yaya Touré is set for a winter move to Juventus. The reasons for this are many, but seemingly high on the list is that Barcelona are willing to sell.

This seems a bit odd in light of the fact that the Ivorian was one of the better players during the collapse of last season, and that there were few indications that he was to be punted during the summer. True, there were rumours as far back as May that Touré was one of the men whom coach Josep Guardiola would not count upon, but these were never confirmed by the club (at a time when others, not least Ronaldinho, Deco, and Samuel Eto'o, were told to pack their bags.)

In any case he started the new season as part of the squad, coming in and out of the line-up. But overall he's played just two Liga games, completing ninety minutes in either; in Europe he has been similarly treated.

So, what's the story here?

Auspicious Beginnings

Touré was brought to the club in the middle of last summer's rebuilding project, and though he arrived in the shadow of Thierry Henry he turned out to be one of the more inspired signings of 2007.

Slotting into the midfield between Xavi and Iniesta, he provided a bit of stability and solidity that had been sorely lacking when Deco filled the central role; while the team sacrificed some invention, Iniesta in particular more than made up for the absence of Deco.

Furthermore, he also brought attitude of a positive side. Touré was not one to hide - his lack of urgency in running sometimes drew criticism but overall his was a positive influence with plenty of effort.

Then came this summer, though, and it all started to change. Seydou Keita's arrival signalled the possibility of a 4-4-2 with Touré and his fellow African in the middle, but since then the introduction of the highly-regarded Sergi Busquets has lessened Touré's impact.

The Reaction

This did not go down well. The player's agent, reacting swiftly to the newspapers' picking up on rumours of a sale, stated that his client would be happy to go if he's not getting pitch time.

Then Touré raised the stakes further, stating to the press as recently as this week that he's eager to make the move to Italy.

It's all happened quickly, and with Barcelona apparently having set an asking price already, it begs the question as to whether or not the May rumours were of substance.

The Sale?

Barring a dramatic turnaround from all parties, then, it looks like Touré's on his way. But is it for better or worse? Although this is a Spanish column and not an Italian one Juventus' role must be mentioned: to me, Touré - while an excellent player - is the exact opposite to what they need in the midfield, and one wonders why they bought both Christian Poulsen and Mohamed Sissoko in summer if they want Touré as well.

But back to Spain. For Barcelona, while I remain a huge fan of Touré's, this is, to me, overall a positive sale. For whatever reason Guardiola doesn't fancy Touré - that seems to be a given. So, why keep the midfielder hanging around? Rather than subjecting Pep to years of trying to keep big names or recent buys happy, the board seem happy enough to build a squad around his wishes, rather than their own desires.

Touré himself seems to thrive on constant action, and he has more chance of achieving that with Juve than at the Camp Nou. (That someone else in Turin will pay the price is not immediately our concern.) And of course his agent will no doubt make a chunk of change, too.

It's perhaps sad news for those Barça fans who still rate Touré, and it shows a bit of short-sightedness in the club's transfer policy, but cashing in while the going is good more than makes up for this. What's more, the fact that Busquets is coming through shows that the cantera is not to be underestimated.

In sum, this is an unfortunate incident for those (like me) who enjoy watching Touré grace La Liga, but one that may just work out in a way that Barça are unaccustomed to.

Ewan Macdonald, Goal.com

Spain

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