Is this starlet the perfect replacement for Flamini?

The Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger may raid the Spanish giants Barcelona for one of their academy graduates. If he does prove successful, it certainly will not be the first time he’s poached a Barca youngster.

The starlet in question is Sergi Samper and it is being reported that the player is considering a move to Premier League. Barcelona manager Luis Enrique is desperate to keep him but knows that it would be a tall task to do so. The 20-year-old is under contract with the Spanish club until 2017 but is targeting a starting berth. Just like every player in Spain, he has a buyout clause too which is set at a very enticing £8.5 million.

The transfer fees these days are very inflated and do not represent the actual value of the player. And these are generally inflated in the upward direction. Unlike that, Samper’s buyout clause is very encouraging for any club to consider signing him. That explains why even Porto is interested in the player – even though only on loan.

Samper wants to be a regular starter in the opening XI but his path to the team is blocked by Sergi Busquets who almost owns the central midfield position. He was part of the Barca B team last season but the team was relegated to the third tier of Spanish football. So, if Samper spends another season at Barcelona it would mean spending time in the lower league.

Central midfield at Arsenal is not exactly up for grabs because of the emergence of Francis Coquelin, but he could certainly act as cover for Mikel Arteta who is rarely fit nowadays. The midfielder showed great potential last season and made the position his own saving Wenger one big headache. He hopes to land Samper at the second time of asking, having unsuccessfully tried to sign him in 2011. Wenger tried to bring Samper and Hector Bellering together but ended up with only Bellerin joining the club.

Samper is a classic holding midfielder and there is no denying the class he can bring to any side – after all, he graduated from the famed Barcelona academy. He joined the club as a 6 year old and it would take a lot from Wenger to land the midfielder.

If Wenger actually ends up signing Samper, it would be another steal from the Nou Camp. Cesc Fabregas (2003), Fran Merida (2005) and Jon Toral (2011) all ended up at the Emirates Stadium apart from Bellerin.

May be that’s what is making the Catalonia team paranoid. They would prefer Samper ending up on loan at Porto. But, if Wenger is serious about signing Samper and stumps up the asking price, there could be one more Barca academy starlet landing in North London.

Sridhar

Tags Barcelona samper

19 Comments

  1. If it comes to pass, Flamini out Samper in = good business. FINALLY bit of business not even most fickle Arsenal fan can can complain about?

    1. We should activate 22M release clause of Pedro. He is proven goal scorer, run fast, tons of assists.
      As Walcott gonna play as ST , and poor injury record of our star players at wings means we need players like Pedro.

      1. Nonsense. If that is the case then we should activate the 43M release clause of Griezeman. Or throw money on Rues.

  2. And at only 20 samper doesn’t command a place in the 25 for another two seasons, so not really a replacement for flamini, more a replacement for jack Jebb!

    I would be more than happy to land samper and for that matter rabiot, the 2 could go head to head with zelalem in 2 years time, whilst the 3 of them.them could be afforded opportunities to impress in the mean time or head out on loan.

    However, I still think we should maintain our maximum quota of players under league rules.

    1. I beg to differ ,this guy is an accomplished CDM with over 90 apps for Barcelona B, when he moved up to the senior team, he was only kept from the starting line up for the obvious reason that Busquets, Xavi and Ineista have had a chokehold on the midfield position for years. its that bad Mascherano who is CDM by trait, has spent almost his entire career at Barca as a Center Back and even at that doesn’t reguallarly make the team, not to mention the Obvious that Rakitic had also had to play bench warmer for a while and they sent Alex Song on loan. The fact that he is a regular in the Barca first team is a feat to be marvelled at and at such a young age aswell (20). If we signed him he’ll be in that 25 man squad!!

  3. a 20yo inexperience Samper to rotate with Coquelin?????????

    we need someone with quality and with experience….

    1. I’ve to agree with Hafiz this time.
      We’ve Bielik in our bag. And the way I see, Samper is in the same level as Bielik. We need an experience ready made DMF, and there’s still many options available, like the Bender twins. Lars or Sven, doesn’t matter.
      TBH I think it’s a small chance we’re going to see new DMF after Arteta’s extended contract. I couldn’t really understand why. At 33, not many left in him to expect.

  4. Never heard of him !don’t no what he looks like! Got no idea if he’s left or right footed ! But as long as he’s better than flamini I’m giving it the thumbs up !!! Although we probably won’t get him like we don’t with 99percent of all players linked to us

  5. I think this would be a perfect acquisition. Coquelin has been phenomenal ever since he became a regular starter and has no reason to lose his place. Wouldn’t be fair since he has certainly earned it. We just need a backup dm for him incase of injury or tiredness. I’m sure we were never in for vidal or any high quality dm simply because 1. Coquelin can certainly become that high quality dm (just needs to prove his last season wasn’t a fluke) and 2. We already have too many established CM’s (whether or not they are am, dm or b2b). I’m on board for this transfer. A striker will finish this summer as a success but I also want Walcott to have a shot at striker.

  6. For those against this transfer… Really don’t think you know much about him or have watched him play. One of the brightest midfielder’s going, ready to contribute straight away. The kid’s going to be a star

  7. I have been urging, in my hidden prayers, Arsene Wenger to buy a top DM. I felt pretty frustrated when Kondogbia and Imbula were snapped up by Juve and Porto. Sergi Samper would be a fantastic acquisition though. Although not a dynamic hard tackling player like the above, he has amazing technique and distribution skills. He is very much in the mould of Pirlo. A possession man. If we get him, then mere me will forgive Wenger. With up to 65 games on the card, and possible injuries too, no way can Coquelin play that many. It would be insanity. Young Samper would be a great apprentice, and they would be perfect together in certain types of games. Hope this is true and not just more candyfloss rumours that looks bigger than they really are and disappear as quickly as they came.

  8. Great signing if we get him, cover for Coquelin and could pplay along side him if we want to go defensive to see out games.
    Providing he can withstand the physicality of the PL then it’s perfect.
    We are not going to spend big money or attract big DM players when they know they’ll be on the bench behind Coquelin.
    Samper is an accomplished specialist DM player who reads the game well and is a good passer.
    He knows Bellerin which should help him intergrate well.
    Ask yourself if you’d prefer to the signing of Samper:
    1. No DM is signed.
    2. Flamini is our back up Coq!.
    3. Hayden/Chambers/Gabriel are tried at DM, (not the season to be trying out players out of position).

    after all what does Wenger ask of Coquelin? Get the ball back however you can when we dont have it and recycle it quickly and simply to the creative players.
    If Samper reads the game well then he’s perfect for this.

    Sign him Arsene!

  9. Also I have no idea if this will happen but the money saved on Samper, (£8.5m) v carvalho, (£28m ish) could be spent on another player if needed, amongst the rumours that Wenger may be looking for another young CB to eventually replace Per, (I’m all for that!!).

  10. I know It’s a bite size of the best bits and it will be very different in the PL, but I’ve just watched a 7 and a half minute clip of Samper on Youtube and wow! He is a very good reader of the game, he’s slotting passes through the eye of needle and his long ball distribution appears very Pirlo/Gerrard esque. Very exciting prospect!

  11. He sounds promising. As long as he has a good work ethic, I think he will be really good acquisition

  12. Inexperienced or not, he is still an upgrade to Flamini, n his height is also a big bonus for an arsenal midfield full of short players(however technical they myt be)!!!!

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