In recent weeks, AC Milan have reactivated their interest in a former Barcelona talent, but due to a clause inserted in his previous sale, the Catalan club will be involved in a deal if the Rossoneri were to pursue it.
Milan are surveying the market for opportunities to improve their squad in the future, and someone who has impressed the management is 22-year-old Ez Abde, who now plays for Real Betis. The former Barcelona winger moved to Betis last summer, snubbing a move to the Rossoneri in the process due to a lack of proposed playing time.
However, as reported recently, he is likely to move in the upcoming mercato, given his playing time has been limited in Spain. Milan are waiting on the sidelines, but they are not alone in doing so. As Mundo Deportivo reports, several La Liga clubs are interested in the player, but given the price might be high, the Diavolo might be able to sign the player relatively unchallenged if they choose to pursue a deal.
The reasoning for this is due to Barcelona’s clause inserted into his move to Betis, which means the Blaugrana will get 50% of his next transfer, and given Abde arrived at the club for almost €8 million – it is unknown what markup the deal will have for his current club to make a worthy enough profit.
Given Barca also have an option to buy the player back, this could be used before selling him themselves to make as much money as possible.
So basically he’s a benchwormer at Betis and Betis want a big offer cause they owe half to Barsa. Signing him makes no sense to me, but tbh I haven’t seen him….
Moneyball Moncada style.
He’s not building a team, he’s building a portfolio of players that *COULD* potentially make a profit.
Who cares if the player fits in at Milan or is at Milans level, that’s the coaches problem. What really matters is, how much can we sell him for?
All the cheapos that are coming to Milan, aren’t here for our team or to win, they are for potential profit.
MONEYBALL MONCADA!
Exactly. Looking at profiles like Brassier, Adarabioyo, Ez Abde, Denkey etc., this club has become Moncada’s exhibition of “potential could bees”. And to keep us at top four for that CL money.
Buy low, sell high.
Moneyball Moncada is not entirely correct nickname.
Milan hired an agency that crunches the numbers along with Billy Beane – person who invented moneyball (not sure if he is on Milan board or just an advisor), they are the moneyball part, Moncada is a scout, first and foremost he finds the players that fit the numbers, Furlani negotiates the transfer.
You are correct on moneyball part, but you’re blaming the wrong person for that. If anyone, its RedBird that insists on that,
Actually Beane was advising Milan before Redbird came here, he was employed when Elliott took over. He also worked with Redbird at other clubs too.
Did you miss the last transfer window? 6 international players were signed, for fees between €14-20 million. That’s the opposite of moneyball. Two young defenders, Terraciano and Pellegrino were signed with a view to the future – because Kjaer and Florenzi are old and Kalulu can’t stay fit. There were nomoney ball signings, you don’t even know what moneyball is. The only player Milan signed with a view to turning a profit was the midget Romero, who is better off in Spain. 1 signing from over 10 arrivals doesn’t prove your point.
We don’t even have a need for him
Sure, we need more wingers. Lots of wingers. At least 6. Never mind the new #9 when we can field 5 wingers at once.
6 wingers and 11 mezzalas
MONEYBALL won us a Scudetto. Moneyball isn’t a bad recruitment strategy, it is simply about using data analytics in finding undervalued players, and also help clubs find players to fit into thier specific system or certain style of play.
In reality, this last transfer window we deviated from the moneyball strategy, and it is now that we sing about moneyball the most, when moneyball found Kalulu, Theo, Leao, Tomori and we won the Scudetto, nobody complained. Moneyball scouted Zambo Anguissa, but we didn’t act on him, he would have effectively solved our midfield problem caused by Kessie departure.
But, in this last transfer, Milan changed strategy, we spent:
30 mil on Puli
30 mil on Chucky
20 mil on RLC
20 mil on Reijnders
These are players with established reputations, as against moneyball who mainly looks for unknown talents with high growth ceiling. Even Okafor and Jovic are players with established reputations, only maybe Musah falls under the moneyball characteristics.
In conclusion, moneyball isn’t a bad strategy, but Moncada didn’t seem to apply this strategy lately, so we should rest with the moneyball lashing.
That was Elliot, not Redbird. Just saying.
Every team uses analytics. Cardinale just has a “trendy” name for it.
The problem with “analytics” in football is this: The statistics are less reflective of actual ability in comparison to other sports, like baseball (or the best example, golf). There’s a reason no one used ridiculous parameters such xG before football was marketed to Americans (who must have statistics to consume with their sports).
Does anyone even know how xG is computed? Do you know how many parameters are ignored when computing the “expected chance” to score (defensive position, ball hight, ball speed, attacker position…)? Compare this to “runs batted in”
in baseball…or simply their number of hits on bat stat.
Moneyball is hyped by tech share holders and endorsed by ignorant club owners. Though I imagine in most places, even at Milan, it used mostly as a first step before scouts actually go watch the player.
Well Liverpool may disagree with you though.