Typically, the acquisition of players at any club is a decision made by the coach, the director of football, the financial director, and the scouting team working together. However, Coach Xavi has turned this process into a meticulous task at Barcelona, almost like an emperor choosing his concubines.
Currently, Barcelona is debating whether Sergio Busquets was the one who vetoed the signing of Arthur and Ousmane Dembele’s refusal to approve the acquisition of Benjamin Pavard. It’s important to note that Busquets (now at Inter Miami) and Dembele (currently playing at PSG) are just Barca players, roughly in the same age group as Arthur and Pavard. People have been wondering why influential players at Barcelona can affect the technical and recruitment decisions. The reason for this phenomenon lies in Xavi Hernandez’s policy of seeking the expert opinions of the players when signing recruits.
According to information from Catalunya Radio, it wasn’t Dembele and Busquets who vetoed Barcelona’s purchase of these two players, but rather their opinions contributed negatively, leading to the club’s decision to reject the signings. Xavi wants to gather as much information as possible about prospective players before committing to their acquisition.
Xavi wants to know everything about the club’s potential signings, including their on and off-field behavior. This complex process involves multiple steps to ensure the signing is worthwhile. To assess the suitability of a potential player, Xavi puts the player through a practical test. His coaching staff, along with Xavi himself, are the first to analyze the target’s technical, physical, and tactical abilities.
This is done by watching live game footage with continuous monitoring or using data from various platforms with which the club has signed contracts. These are non-debatable pieces of information, as the coach and his assistants have a keen eye for the first screening. If the target passes this test, the technical team then evaluates whether the signing is feasible, whether this investment can be made, what the salary would be, and what kind of offer to make.
Details like age, salary, and the cost of the target are key in this regard. Moreover, the target is evaluated for their ability to blend their current skills with new tactical knowledge, their past, and adaptability to different playing styles. This is all to prevent any surprises that may come after both parties have ‘signed on the dotted line.’
If necessary, the next step is for Xavi to speak with the target via phone or meet in person, as was the case with Haaland in a previous encounter. Pablo Torre admitted that Barca had called him a day before their talks to arrange the meeting with Xavi and Jordi Cruyff, who was then a technical assistant. If, at any point in this entire process, Xavi receives negative feedback (as may have happened with Arthur and Pavard), the signing can still proceed as Plan B, allowing the club time to explore new options on the market.
Having been involved in football for many years, Xavi has established enough connections to gather as much information as possible from direct sources about the players Barcelona is planning to sign. This process is typically carried out from January to the summer, depending on the team’s needs. In this sense, Cruyff’s saying holds true in Xavi’s daily life: Deciding as early as possible allows negotiations to proceed smoothly and with less cost.
So, do influential players have a say in the effectiveness of new signings? Let’s consider the scenario where Dembele almost signed Pavard, and Busquets rejected Arthur in the previous summer. The right-back position that Pavard occupies is what Xavi needs for Barca. He sought the opinions of the French players in the dressing room, and Dembele specifically advised against signing his compatriot. Dembele believed Pavard had a history of causing internal conflicts and creating tension within the dressing room. Eventually, Pavard joined Inter Milan, while Barcelona attempted to loan Joao Cancelo from Man City and succeeded.
In addition to the right-back position, Xavi must reinforce the attacking midfield to support Pedri and Gavi. Barcelona wanted to re-sign Arthur, and Xavi requested Busquets’s opinion. The former Barca captain immediately disagreed and said he didn’t welcome the player’s return. The reason was that Arthur had led a disorderly life during his previous time at Barca and was not a good role model for the team’s young players. Moreover, a few weeks later, Arthur suffered an injury. However, at that point, Xavi had already ruled out the idea of bringing the player back, following Busquets’s advice.
