From Barcelona to Stoke – a closer look at the Potters’ new signing (Video)
Marc Muniesa has been at Barcelona since the age of 10. He is the second youngest ever player to star for the Spanish side, after making a brief La Liga appearance in a match against Osasuna in May 2009, yet has not managed to push on from his debut at the age of 17 into becoming a regular first team player, or even a substitute. He has however featured regularly for Barcelona’s B team and is still only 21-years-old. Whilst appearing to have everything in his favour to play for one of the better sides in Spain, he has suddenly signed a contract with Stoke City!
Mark Hughes must be delighted at signing such a player, who is comfortable playing as either a central defender or a left full back. Whether he had already been told that he had no future with Barcelona remains unclear, but it is so surprising that he has chosen the midlands club as his preferred destination.
The Potters are renowned for their physical, no-nonsense approach, with several managers in the Premier League labelling their players as ‘thugs’, which is exactly the opposite philosophy that Muniesa has been brought up with and is accustomed to. Whether this indicates that the new manager is hoping to change the way that the club plays, we will have to see. I would be delighted to see Stoke playing possession based football out from the back, if only to imagine the look of horror on Tony Pulis’ face, yet can’t see it happening somehow.
I hope that Muniesa is able to triumph in the Premier League, although if he does play well then I can easily see him being signed by a bigger team fairly quickly. Fair play to Stoke for convincing him to join them and their new project. I just hope that his English debut doesn’t end the same way as his Barcelona one; with a straight red card!
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