Deco talks Olmo, Nico, Fati, Bernal, Lewandowski, Roque, Guiu, Mingueza, Gavi – ‘Signing of the season’ | OneFootball

After a hectic transfer window, Barcelona sporting director Deco recently sat down for an interview at the Thinking Football Summit, during which he reviewed the club’s performance in the summer while assessing the squad and the start to the season under Hansi Flick.

On the transfer window and the start to the season

Kicking things off, Deco insisted that he and Barcelona were satisfied with the start to the season, insisting that they have worked on solidifying the base of the squad for the present and the future.

“We have done what we had to do. People want signings every year, but clubs don’t have to sign every year. They have to organise themselves, renew the players they have to renew… Create the foundation for the present and the future. That’s what we have tried to do,” he said.

Deco then touched upon the appointment of Hansi Flick as the new manager, replacing Xavi Hernandez, saying:

“There are always good coaches… At Barça, when we knew about Xavi’s decision, we focused on Hansi (Flick). He is someone with experience, calm.

“A coach who has, as well as character, the ability to manage because he has experienced a lot of things. He has been coaching for many years. That’s the path we want to follow.”

Under the German tactician, Barcelona are off to a flying start, winning four games in a row in La Liga to sit at the top of the table.

“We are talking about this moment. We are working well. The season is very long. We are happy to have started very well, but nothing more,” said the former Portugal midfielder.

On the transfers

One of the two senior signings that Barcelona made during the summer was Dani Olmo, who arrived from RB Leipzig in a deal worth €55 million plus another €7 million in add-ons.

Barcelona’s marquee summer signing. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

Elaborating on how the move came about, Deco said: “It is very important that the players want to come. If players want to come, it’s always easier to fight for a signing. In Dani’s case, it was like that.

“From the first day, he showed that he wanted to return to Barça, that he had the illusion of winning titles and making history at the club. Then it’s a question of reaching an agreement between clubs and with the player. Everything is easier.”

Another main target for Barcelona during the summer was Nico Williams, but the club failed to sign him due to multiple reasons. When asked about the interest in the Athletic Club winger, Deco replied: “I’m not talking about players who are not from Barça.”

When further probed if he met Nico’s agent, the Barça director added: “I meet with a lot of players, agents… The normal market thing is that there are always meetings, but I don’t say anything about things that are private.

“Nico Williams is an Athletic Bilbao player and at Barça we don’t talk about anything.”

On being asked about Barcelona’s current financial situation and whether they can sign players in the winter transfer window, Deco said:

“I don’t know… now we are thinking about the next game against Girona. Afterwards, when the time comes, we will analyse and see how the situation is.”

Of late, there have been reports that Barcelona could re-sign Oscar Mingueza from Celta Vigo to reinforce the right-back slot. On being asked about the interest in the ex-La Masia man, Deco replied:

“At the moment we haven’t considered bringing him back. He’s in a good moment and of course we’re always on the lookout for good players.”

On the squad

Barcelona have the youngest squad in La Liga this season, filled with talented starlets from La Masia like Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsi, Gavi, Alejandro Balde, Fermin Lopez, and Marc Bernal, among others.

“In the end, the whole history of Barça has been made with this mix. Of players from La Masia, who come with a hunger to make history. That’s the balance you have to look for,” said Deco.

Gavi is back in training after 10 months. Photo by JOSEP LAGO/AFP via Getty Images)

The Barcelona director then welcomed the return of Gavi from almost a year-long absence through injury, saying that the midfielder is almost like a new signing of the season.

“Yes, of course he is the signing of the season. Gavi is a key player for us. It was very hard to lose him last season. We have not been able to find a solution for Gavi, as it is very difficult to find a solution for a player like him,” he said.

“We are happy that he is back after a long recovery. Tough, long-suffering. He will do great things with us again.”

Deco was then asked about the future of veteran superstar Robert Lewandowski, who recently turned 36 years old, and whether Barcelona are looking at Erling Haaland as an option to replace the Pole.

In response, the director said: “I’m not talking about players who are not ours. We talk about our own. We are happy with Robert. He is a world reference. One of the best strikers in the history of football and of those who have played for Barça.

“He’s scoring goals, he’s happy with the team and he’s happy at Barcelona.”

The director also touched upon the imminent return of Ansu Fati, who is back at the club after a season out on loan and has recovered from his injury.

“He is one of our players. We are happy with his return. Ansu has suffered a lot with injuries in recent years, but he is 21 years old and has his whole career ahead of him,” said Deco.

“He has a good chance of being the Ansu we all knew. The Ansu we have seen shining at Barça, that’s why we are delighted that he is at Barça.”

On the season-ending ACL injury to Marc Bernal last month, he added: “Bad news for him first. The most important thing is the player. It’s harder for us too because he was doing so well. He is young and he was starting. Too bad for the player.”

On the exits

Roque left Barcelona for Real Betis. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

One of the several players who left Barcelona this summer was young striker Vitor Roque, a personal bet of Deco, who ended up signing for Real Betis on loan after having fallen out of favour at the club.

“A good loan. A player who has spent six very difficult months. It’s not easy, as it is for all young players who come to a big club like Barcelona. The idea has always been to give him minutes and the opportunity of Betis is very good to see him play,” Deco said.

The most notable exit, though, was that of Ilkay Gundogan, who departed on a free transfer only a year after joining the club.

“The coach has already explained Gundogan’s departure. Everything has been said. We wish him the best of luck at City,” said Deco, avoiding getting into the details of his exit.

The director also spoke about the sale of young striker Marc Guiu to Chelsea, stating that the club made all efforts to keep him but the player opted to move on.

“Chelsea paid the clause and he left. He had an old contract, with a clause of €6 million. He was offered an important contract and an important project, but he made the decision to go another way,” said Deco.

“We tried a lot [to keep him], but we were not able to. The player opted for an offer from Chelsea. We offered him a project to be a striker for Barca, but he didn’t want to,” he added.

Source: AS