Barça's strategy with the signing of Braithwaite

FC Barcelona closed the signing of Martin Braithwaite, Leganés striker on Tuesday, in exchange for the 18 million euros in which his termination clause was encrypted. The Danish battering ram has finally been the emergency solution for sports management after the unfortunate long-term casualties of Luis Suárez and Ousmane Dembélé.

When the six months of recovery time needed for the French were confirmed, absolute consensus was generated in FC Barcelona about the urgent need to bring emergency reinforcement. By the regulations of LaLiga and the Federation in cases of long-term leave, the signing could only be a player without a team or one who played in the First or Second Division.

In recent weeks, names of all kinds have sounded. On the one hand, impossible dreams: Willian José (Real Sociedad), Loren Morón (Real Betis) ... Key players for their teams with high termination clauses and out of reach of FC Barcelona. On the other hand, the Catalans accelerated contacts with Ángel Rodríguez, from Getafe, with whom there was an agreement that eventually ended up being thrown to the ground.

At the last minute, FC Barcelona preferred to opt for Braithwaite. One of the reasons, as we have explained in 'FCBN', is the sports one. Quique Setién had repeated as active and passive that he needed a versatile footballer and none of the above mentioned complied with that profile, since they all had conditions of pure '9' and not of versatile attacker.

But there is still a compelling reason to add: the strategic one. Barça has had to disburse 18 million euros for him but, due to his age (28 years) and his qualities, in the club they consider that they can sell him at a similar price in the future. From the directive, Danish is considered an investment with the possibility of being recovered, something that did not happen in other cases such as Angel's.

Braithwaite has a market

Ángel Rodríguez would have cost six million fixed euros plus another two in variables, but hardly there would have been room for maneuver to sell him in the future because he is already 32 years old. In contrast, Braithwaite is a player who ensures goals and versatility for any average team, so it is considered that it can be sold at a similar price in the future. A signing that not only adapts to Setién's requests, but also to the economic needs of the club.