Barcelona’s former sporting director Jordi Cruyff has lifted the lid on one of the most decisive transfer dilemmas the club faced, revealing that during the summer of 2022, the Catalan giants were w...
Barcelona’s former sporting director Jordi Cruyff has lifted the lid on one of the most decisive transfer dilemmas the club faced, revealing that during the summer of 2022, the Catalan giants were weighing up two very different profiles for the right-wing position.
At the time, Barça were operating under strict financial conditions, which meant every move had to be calculated with long-term planning in mind.
Cruyff explained that the club were caught between pursuing Leeds United star Raphinha or Ajax sensation Antony, a choice that ultimately shaped the squad’s evolution under Xavi.
What made them move for Raphinha?
Offering insight into that moment, Cruyff recalled the situation to the Stick to Football panel (h/t SPORT).
He emphasised just how delicate the decision was for the club’s technical department.
“I remember there was a moment we wanted a winger, and we had to choose between Raphinha and Antony,” Cruyff revealed.
Financial restrictions played a decisive role, something Cruyff highlighted when discussing Barça’s limited room to manoeuvre.
“And when you have a fair play issue, of course, Antony in the end went for much more money than anybody expected.”
A calculated bet on Raphinha
Barcelona could have moved for Antony. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)
Barcelona eventually leaned toward Raphinha, who had already proven himself in the Premier League.
With the English market offering higher resale guarantees, the club felt more protected in the event the move did not go as planned.
Cruyff elaborated on the financial logic that shaped the final call. “But we really had to make choices based on, ‘Okay, if he succeeds in the Premier League and things go wrong, we’ll always get our money back.’”
He also made it clear that both players were thoroughly examined, even though each represented a different type of investment and risk level.
“We looked at both [Antony and Raphinha], basically.”
Why not Antony?
Cruyff then added more nuance when reflecting on Antony’s profile, acknowledging the Brazilian’s technical flair while pointing to the concerns tied to signing from the Eredivisie.
“But Antony, we liked [him] because it’s a Spanish [thing]. I mean, now he’s in Betis, and he is doing a really good job – like, he’s a special player.”
However, the determining factor was the uncertainty around the Dutch league’s market impact, something Barcelona simply could not gamble on while under financial strain.
“But back then, we were thinking if we signed a player from Holland and things went wrong, you would never get your money back,” he concluded.
Category: General Sports
