Elon Musk, founder and chief engineer of SpaceX speaks at the 2020 Satellite Conference and Exhibition March 9, 2020 in Washington, DC.
Elon Musk is one of the richest people in the world and maybe one of the busiest.
The CEO of Tesla and SpaceX and founder of The Boring Company and Neuralink has often talked about working 100-plus hours a week, being in meetings until 2 in the morning and even sleeping under his desk in his office to save time. He also a father of six, and is even a prolific tweeter, known to answer Tesla customer service queries by tweet (as well as get himself in trouble with the SEC and others).
And now, Musk been tapped to join the board of directors at entertainment conglomerate Endeavor Group Holdings. (Musk also currently holds board positions with Tesla and SpaceX.)
Of course, Musk is not alone when it comes to working all the time — so-called “hustle porn” has become a badge of honor of sorts, perhaps especially in the world of tech.
But is there such a thing as working too hard or having too many responsibilities that your productivity suffers as a result? Here’s what the experts say.
Multitasking can be detrimental to performance Research has shown that multi-tasking, shifting your attention from one task to another, is detrimental to your performance and output, explains Gal Zauberman, professor at the Yale School of Management who studies the role of time in decision-making. Multitasking makes you less efficient and productive, and more likely to make mistakes.
Most of us like some variability in our days, and we do several different tasks throughout the day.
However, not everyone is skilled at switching between roles very quickly and efficiently: “The question is, do Elon Musk-like people have the capacity to do so many different roles at the same time?” Zauberman says.
For some people, it can be invigorating and stimulating to “be around other great minds in disparate industries or disparate focuses,” Rebecca Morgan, a management and productivity consultant in Silicon Valley, tells CNBC Make It. “Often innovators borrow an idea from a totally different industry to apply to their project.”
But with each job or role that you take on, you have to trade it for something else.
“We only have so many minutes a day,” Morgan says. “So if you are giving those, then you’re giving up something else.”
Broadly speaking, people tend to have an idealized view of what a “successful person” looks like, Zauberman says. “We value a lot of specialization,” he says. “So now when someone can excel in more than one thing it’s astonishing.”
Burnout happens when stress isn’t managed Even Musk has admitted that his lifestyle is ill-advised: “No one should put this many hours into your work,” he told Axios in 2018. “[It’s] not recommended for anyone. You’re gonna go a little bonkers if you work 120 hours a week.”
“We each have a capacity for working before the quality of our work is compromised,” Emily Ballesteros, a burnout management coach in Chicago, tells CNBC Make It. For example, if something as critical as sleep is being compromised, then your work and personal life will inevitably suffer, she says.
Of course, it’s possible that people like Musk have figured out personal ways to increase their capacity to work, for example, delegating responsibilities to other team members or hiring people to help out in other areas of his life.
“However, we all have indisputable physical limits,” Ballesteros says.
Burnout occurs as a result of chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed, and is characterized by feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion, negativity or cynicism related your job and reduced professional efficacy.
“We can’t know people’s limits,” Ballesteros says. Given that, it’s important that organizations set “extremely clear expectations so that there are objective indicators of quality that will let them know if [someone] is being stretched too thin to perform.”
On an individual level, it’s also important to check in with yourself to know when to set limits, Ballesteros says. You might ask yourself: Am I losing sleep over stress? Is my health being impacted? Are my relationships suffering? Do I spend time on what is important to me?
A representative for Musk did not immediately respond to CNBC Make It’s request for comment.
South African Company, Shoprite Holdings Limited, has announced that the sale of its Nigerian outlets was being concluded.
The company said it would shut down operations in the country by disposing a 100 per cent equity stake in its Nigerian retail supermarkets.
In its latest financial report for December 2020 operations obtained from the company’s website on Tuesday, Shoprite stated that the company was awaiting approval from the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission after lodging the transaction with the commission.
According to the company, the management expects the transaction to be approved by the end of the 2021 financial year.
Shoprite added that the management was in the process of concluding a franchise agreement for the Shoprite brand to remain in Nigeria as well as an administration and services agreement to provide support to the new shareholders with operating the outlets.
The Chief Executive Officer, Pieter Engelbrecht said, “We are at the approval stage in terms of the sale of our Nigeria supermarket operation.
“From here, our capital allocated to the region remains at a minimum and we continue to manage costs as best as we can.”
“Statement of comprehensive income reflects profit from discontinued operations separately; assets and liabilities relating to the Nigeria operations disclosed as held for sale,” the report stated.
The company had in August last year in its half year 2020 financial report announced that it would gradually end its operation in Nigeria.
It said the board decided to formally exit its operations in Nigeria over unfavourable market conditions.
Not a long time ago, it seemed that Neymar’s chapter had been closed forever. However, PSG’s average performance and Lionel Messi’s possible contract extension have changed things. The constant Neymar saga in every window is at its peak at the moment. According to Sport, financing the move for the return of the Brazilian might not be impossible as there are two alternatives to finance the deal. The first of the two alternatives will be to include one of Griezmann or Dembele in the deal. The board is very clear that it would be impossible to pay €150m that PSG asks, more so for a player who has just one year left on his contract. Reportedly, the newly elected board is open to any one of the above exchanges. However, it remains to be seen if it will interest the Parisians too.
The other and the more financially viable option will be to wait for another year and sign the Brazilian on a free transfer. However, it’s very unlikely that PSG will allow such this to happen. Not only, PSG even Neymar will not like to take such a huge risk considering his track record with injuries. For the transfer to take place this way, Neymar will have to commit to Barça and handle the heckling at PSG.
After PSG’s group stage encounter at Old Trafford in December, Neymar expressed his desire to play with Leo again and said “I want to play with Messi again. It’s what I want the most. I want to enjoy being on the pitch with him again. For sure next year we have to do it.” This statement and situation at that time hinted that Parisians will make a move for Messi who will be out of contract in June.
Fast forward to three and a half months, Barça finds themselves in a much better position. The Argentine looks more determined than ever to change his and the club’s situation. Thanks to Ronald Koeman, the squad is overflowing with overachieving young players. On the other hand PSG even after qualifying for the next round in UEFA Champions League, looks like only a shadow of themselves from last year.
With all said, the newly elected board currently remains more focused on bringing a world class No.9. One thing that can be said is that with Messi closer to staying than ever, a lot of things have changed in the transfer window. However, we will need to wait until the summer to see how exactly things will pan out.
City boss Pep Guardiola reiterated the trust that he has in his squad after the 2-0 Premier League victory over Leicester City at the King Power Stadium.
The City squad have had a gruelling fixture list, with many members of the team reporting for international duty at the end of March – and now also have a busy month of football ahead.
Guardiola admitted that rotation is key and that he trusts all his players to fulfil their required role when in the team.
“They are human beings, not machines,” he said after the victory.
“I rotate because it is not possible to play every day – to win all competitions in this year without spectators when we start later and finish earlier, you cannot be there where we are if you don’t rotate.
“Ilkay [Gundogan], Joao [Cancelo], of course, they could play because they have that mentality but they need rest.
“We don’t have even one midweek off. No player can do that and be ready mentally every game.
“So, I rotate them and I am a genius when we win and when we lose, it’s my fault! Next game, we will play fresh legs and against Leeds, fresh legs.
“I trust my players so much. They don’t trust me but I trust them with their quality!”
City needed to remain patient to unlock a rigid Leicester defence on Saturday, breaking the deadlock just before the hour mark through Mendy’s second goal of the season.
Guardiola was pleased to see that patience in his team’s play on this occasion, after being punished in the reverse fixture at the Etihad Stadium earlier in the season.
“We cannot deny that playing here 14 points clear is completely different to the first game,” he said. “Give a lot of credit to them for the first game, absolutely.
“We had no striker, we had just had two, three weeks off… We had scored through Riyad [Mahrez] and then became nervous.
“We were attacking quicker than we have to attack. We gave them chances to run and conceded three penalties.
“When the opposition plays deep, you have to be patient. [On Saturday] we were calmer with more passes. Leeds will be completely the opposite. They won’t be about patience.
“[Against Leicester], like Everton, we won after 82, 83 minutes but we did not concede a shot on target at Goodison and that is what we need in these kinds of games.”
The manager also touched on the upcoming UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg against Borussia Dortmund – a team that Guardiola admits he knows very well, after his time managing in the Bundesliga.
“One person that knows Dortmund in Manchester, it is me,” he stated. “The culture of the club, the way they play – and I don’t find one single player at Dortmund without quality. They have incredible quality.
“Maybe they didn’t find consistency in the Bundesliga this season but in one game, two games they can do anything. Sevilla saw it. Sevilla are one of the best teams to play two legs and they beat them.
“I have incredible respect for Dortmund. I was in Germany for three years and they were always big opponents. When they run, they can kill you.
“We try to be aggressive. We want to win. That is what we need to do.”
Harry Kane’s first-half brace looked to have done the damage but the Lilywhites were unable to hold on for the win once again this term
Jose Mourinho has acknowledged that his Tottenham side are more prone to errors than he would prefer, adding that his team bring “instability” upon themselves all too frequently after they surrendered three points late on against Newcastle.
Harry Kane’s first-half brace looked to have done the damage following Joelinton’s opener, but Spurs were unable to close their clash with the Magpies at St James’ Park down throughout, with Joe Willock ultimately finding an 85th-minute equaliser.
The hosts rescued a point only moments after Kane had rattled the post and Gareth Bale blew a set-piece opportunity late on, leaving the veteran Portuguese supremo frustrated with his side’s inability in attack and defence to hold onto their lead.
What has Mourinho said? “I am frustrated,” he boss told BBC Radio 5Live at full-time. “We needed to win the match and we came to win. We were not far [but] at the same time, we created instability with so many individual defensive mistakes. We always gave Newcastle a chance to be in the game.
“We had the biggest chance of the game to make it 3-1 and kill it [when Kane hit the woodwork] and then we concede a goal the next minute.”
Pressed on why Tottenham – historically stern defenders of any lead taken in a game – have faltered in such situations, Mourinho simply added: “Same coach, different players.
“We work well, we work hard. But there are mistakes which I probably shouldn’t even call mistakes because they are related to qualities that players have. You can analyse it easily.”
Speaking to BBC Sport, Mourinho added further criticism of his side’s performance, stating: “The Premier League is hard and is high-level football, and when you don’t show that you belong to that high level, it’s difficult.
“We could have scored a couple more, but in defensive situations, we create instability with our mistakes – and instability brings hope to our opponent, and our opponent didn’t give up.”
Spurs handed top four blow Following Chelsea’s surprise defeat against West Brom, Tottenham had the chance to pull ahead of the Blues and into the Champions League qualification places with victory against another relegation-threatened side.
It is a missed opportunity that will sting however, particularly given that Spurs’ previous Europa League exit means they are reliant on either their league performance or a Carabao Cup Final win over Manchester City later this month to secure a continental spot.
They are caught in the middle of a congested battle for fourth too, with Chelsea, West Ham, Liverpool and Everton all still firmly in the mix.
The bigger picture Spurs will now look to immediately bounce back, with three more Premier League games to come before their date under the Wembley arch with Pep Guardiola’s side.
Before then, they will seek a return to winning ways against Mourinho’s old side Manchester United, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Red Devils looking to secure second-place and head up the best of the rest this season in the top flight.
Well into the month of April, football is already done with the last International Break of the season. No more than 60 days remain on the clock for the summer transfer window to swing open, and it is one Barcelona fans have been awaiting more than ever. Joan Laporta claimed that there are no transition seasons at a club like Barcelona, but when you are under the administration of Josep Bartomeu for half a decade, you need a revolution of a transfer window to avoid a transition season. Luckily, a large part of the same was fulfilled when Ronald Koeman took over the team in the summer of 2020.
The transfer of Pedri, Sergino Dest, Fransisco Trincao, and the promotion of Ronald Araujo and Oscar Mingueza has helped drill in most of the holes in the team. Eric Garcia will be coming in soon to solve more problems, but a spot up-top remains void.
The incompetence of the previous board failed to sign a striker after selling (read giving away) Luis Suarez to Atletico Madrid. And it is this lack of a striker — or a clinical one, at the very least — which has cost them in several games. June brings the prospect of bringing in a number 9, which creators like Lionel Messi, Pedri, Jordi Alba and more crave, but who will that player be?
Unsurprisingly, Erling Haaland has been on the top of the priority list for Laporta. His transfer, though, is far from realistic. Borussia Dortmund will quote a price north of €150 million. Even if Laporta — through some miracle — arranges that sum, he will have to fight off Real Madrid, Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, and probably more clubs for his services. Eventually, it may not even clock near his financial priorities at the club.
Haaland is already among the best players in the world, and coming up with alternatives for the Norwegian wonderkid will be a far from ideal task. Cúles know about Memphis Depay, Sergio Aguero, and Lautaro Martinez all too well, but recently Romelu Lukaku and Harry Kane have been added to the list of players Barça are targeting. Each brilliant in their own way, it is hard to choose one of the five. Barça Universal debates what each of the five brings to the table.
Memphis Depay By Michael Gathige In Ronald Koeman’s pursuit for a striker tailor-made for his style of play, his eyes were initially set and remain firmly so on Memphis Depay. The Dutch international, currently 27 years of age, was the ex-Oranje manager’s first pick for the 9 role, but such was Barcelona’s financial inadequacy last summer that the club could not afford his meagre €5 million transfer fee.
This summer, however, he will be out of a contract as a free agent. His free acquisition is one pull factor for the Catalans, but in addition to this, he also might be open to accepting a relatively low salary in comparison to his compatriots in the attack. In Lyon, at this moment, Depay earns roughly €87,000 a week, or €4.5 million annually.
Given the stature of the club, he might demand a salary of around €100 thousand a week or 5.2 million per annum. Taking into consideration Barça’s financial situation, this is a heaven-sent for the club. As far as finances are concerned, not only will he arrive free of charge, but his wages are also something that Barcelona can easily afford both in the short and long term. To put this into context, Antoine Griezmann earns about ten times Depay’s annual salary.
As a footballer, the dream chaser, as some call him, is a man of immense skill as well as versatility. Capable of occupying either spot in the attacking third of the pitch, Depay stands out for his ability to gracefully link up with his teammates, create numerical and positional superiorities through his dribbling and off-the-ball movements, as well as lacerate opposition defences with his final ball. In his false 9 role, he does a stupendous job at drawing out opposition centre backs, such as creating adequate space for his strikers or wingers to attack.
Depay is what one would call a ‘volume shooter’, in that he takes a comparatively large number of shots on goal per match. Over the course of the last seven years, he has averaged 3.63 shots per game, and he stands at 3.31 this current campaign. It may not seem like much, but in comparison to the Blaugranas‘ current options in the centre forward role, he would rank second in Barcelona, only behind Lionel Messi at 5.87.
In terms of shot quality and consistency, Memphis Depay averages 0.48 Expected Goals (xG) per 90 minutes, which equates to more or less a goal every two games. Excluding penalties, this number drops to 0.3xG90, which given Messi’s indisputable role as a penalty taker, is what will be his actual number on arrival. He currently has 15 goals for his side at 12.7xG, with eight non-penalty goals. This alone puts him above all of Barcelona’s current strikers in La Liga this season.
As per his creative numbers, the Dutchman averages 3 key passes per match at an Expected Assists rate of 0.48. With these statistics combined, one can reasonably expect anywhere from 0.72 to 0.95 goals a game. Owing to Lyon’s quality, which, with all due respect, is a bar or two lower than that of Barça’s, a step up would significantly bolster his numbers, perhaps to around 0.8 to 1 expected goal contributions per game.
Once in the Catalan Capital, Depay could offer himself in a wide array of roles. After all, a jack of all trades and a master of none is oftentimes better than a master of one. In a front three, his magical right foot could be utilised as either a classic or inverted winger on either flank. Down centrally, he is more than capable of partnering Messi either as a striker in the form of an out and out number nine or in a floating role in zone 14 as a ‘ten’. In addition to this, and contrary to some of the other potential summer arrivals, Depay is reportedly more open to taking up a more rotational role in the side, needing not to play as frequently as Messi, for example.
With such a profile, what more could one ask for? The Olympique Lyonnais number 10 is versatile, incredibly dextrous on the ball, strongly desired by the manager, and certainly, with a predetermined role in the team and possibly as the cherry on the top, he is an easily affordable asset to the club. Memphis Depay is the way to go.
Sergio ‘Kun’ Aguero By Shivraj Duggal Sergio Aguero is an option that Barcelona are considering in case a deal for Erling Haaland does not follow through. The 32-year-old Argentine veteran has enjoyed a hugely successful ten seasons at Manchester City. He displays several qualities and a playing profile that would suit Barça tremendously. Further, his contract ends this summer, meaning that he could come to the club on a free transfer.
Signing strikers has always been a tricky business for the Catalan club. Due to their unique playing style, the club requires a particular profile and skill set from their number nine. In the past, world-class strikers have failed to make their mark in the club, such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic, simply because his profile did not suit the requirements of the club. Any striker at Barça needs to have the skill to be able to drop deep and link up with his teammates in order to maintain the numerical superiorities in possession.
The positional play style of football requires Barça’s strikers to have several skills, such as the ability to pass and dribble against opponents in one-on-one situations, as well as be able to play in congested situations. Aguero excels in all of these skills while also having displayed an elite level of finishing in the most competitive league in the world. The Argentinian striker has thrived under Guardiola – a manager who makes his teams play the purest form of positional play – for four seasons running. The 32-year-old has managed to score a phenomenal 78 goals in 113 appearances in the last four Premier League seasons under Guardiola.
Therefore, the player’s profile is well suited for a club like Barça. He has the ability to bring both the linkup play as well as the goal scoring ability required by a striker at the Catalan club. Additionally, he has been Lionel Messi’s best friend at the international level since childhood, and so linking up with Messi would be no difficult task for the striker. With such a synergy on the field, things could really click in the Blaugrana’s attacking third. Most Barcelona fans are on board with this signing as well.
Kun Aguero and Leo Messing are close friends
While financially, bringing Aguero seems like a very logical move, there are certain negatives to his transfer into the club as well. Even though he fits the profile of a number nine that can play in a total football system wonderfully, Aguero has been largely struck by injuries throughout his career.
Struggling to maintain his fitness this season, the 32-year-old has only seen nine games of action in the whole league season, being out for the rest of it with injuries as well as testing positive for COVID-19. Additionally, it doesn’t look likely that his injury problems will get any better with age.
Regardless, investing in Aguero may be the wisest move for the club. Having displayed a much better profile as an out-and-out nine as compared to alternative options such as Depay, while also not being as financially impossible as bringing in Erling Haaland, Aguero can offer a tremendous amount to the club while costing very little. Concerns over his injury history is the only thing that show a red flag in this transfer. If Aguero could maintain his fitness, he would be a wonderful asset for the club and would surely bring many goals with him to the Catalan capital
Romelu Lukaku By Udhav Arora Inarguably the most underrated striker in Europe, Romelu Lukaku is among the gold standard for goal-scorers across the top 5 leagues. The Belgian is leading the charge for the Inter Milan’s Scudetto run but could do a whole lot better.
His move to Italy from Manchester United accompanied a lot of criticism about his failure in the Premier League, especially with the Red Devils. However, it casually overlooks his 113 goals in 252 appearances in the league, out of which 28 game for United. He has been thriving since then, though.
Lukaku ended up with 23 goals last season in 36 appearances, averaging a goal every 130 minutes. Imagine stepping onto a pitch every other game, knowing full well you were going to score a goal. In fact, he averages an xG of 0.79 per game and an npxG (non-penalty expected goals) of 0.62. Compared to positional peers in the top 5 Leagues and European Competition over the last 365 days, they are both in the 96th percentile.
Over the years, Lukaku has developed his playing profile, rounding it off to add more attributes to his arsenal. His magnum opus, though, remains his strength and speed. Despite standing at 6’3″ with a huge build, Lukaku is barely deprived of speed. During his tenure at United, he clocked a top speed of 36.23 kmph, second only to Diogo Dalot during the 2018/19 season.
His physicality is best put to use through his incredible finishing. At 0.83 goals per 90, he falls into the 96th percentile, higher than any other player in this list. Beyond here, there are a mere five players with more goals than him across the top 5 leagues. And with 0.45 goals per shots on target, Lukaku impresses with a top-notch conversion ratio.
The Belgian thrived on proper service at Everton but was stripped off that under Jose Mourinho, he expanded his pallet and added anchor play and intricate passing to his gameplay. He zeroed down on crossing as his primary playmaking strength and was often seen drifting to the wings, crossing into the box. If United had a crosser of Lukaku’s calibre feeding Lukaku, his tenure would have been a success.
Fortunately, he has gone from strength to strength in this regard under Antonio Conte. Plying his trade in a twin striker system has helped his lineup, often switching with Lautaro Martinez to take responsibility of connecting the attack and midfield. Lukaku’s understanding with Lautaro also seems to have improved his vision; case in point, his two fabulous assists vs Slavia Praha in the UCL last season. Behold that outer boot pass to Lautaro for the third goal.
This season, Lukaku has lodged in 35 key passes but registered only two assists. In fact, he has created ten big chances for Inter – highest in the squad, Additionally, he stands in the 91st percentile among forwards from the same position in the top five leagues for xAp90 (expected assists) at 0.23.
Barcelona lack runners in the final third who can take up threatening scoring positions. Luckily, the former Chelsea striker has a stream of stamina and a brilliant understanding of space in his locker. He would also make an excellent fit because of his aggressive nature on the pitch – another area of lacking. Who can forget his iconic game-winning performance against AC Milan after a brawl with Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
In fact, in many ways, he is very similar to Erling Haaland and has the same ability to create chances out of very little owing to his understanding of the attacking front. Not to forget, he adds aerial threat to the Barcelona attack, covering more range than ever.
At 27, Lukaku is at the peak of his powers. So, it is barely surprising that Inter Milan will demand a hefty sum for him, reportedly north of €120 million. However, their financial situation makes it much easier to haggle the price down as compared to last season when Barça targeted Lautaro. Moreover, winning the Serie A this season might motivate him to push for a new challenge. He has an easy half a decade of football left in him, and €120 million for one of the best strikers in the world would turn out to be a flawless investment.
Lukaku might be looking at an exit from Italy this season, and if Barcelona are unable to get his signature, they will end up regretting it, especially if they do not sign Haaland.
Lautaro Martinez By Jan-Michael Marshall Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martínez has all the necessary qualities to be Barcelona’s next number nine. In fact, the Argentine was linked with Barcelona all throughout the 2019/20 season. The player and club reportedly came close to an agreement last year, however, Inter’s asking price turned away the Blaugrana. The finances required to sign him remain a roadblock, but that might be the only downside.
Martínez has improved every season thus far in his young career. With Inter, his tally of nine goals in 2018/19 was upped to 21 and six assists last season, and this season, he already has 16 goals and equally as many assists. His goal tallies may not scream prolific, but his constant improvement and ability to create for others are worth keeping an eye on.
Tactically, his positioning and link-up play are excellent. While the former is made easier by playing alongside Romelu Lukaku — who attracts multitudes of defenders — in a two-striker system, Martínez is consistently in the right position at the right time. He has thrived alongside Lukaku and would surely thrive in front of Barcelona’s creative midfield and wide players.
Contrary to the club’s other transfer targets, Martínez is a natural predator in the box and would not crowd Barça’s creative areas. While he can drop deep and create, his game is not predicated on that. His off-ball movement and positioning would serve him perfectly as an outlet for counter-attacks, crosses, or passes into the penalty area.
The 23-year-old operates extremely well in tight spaces, with expert dribbling and ball control, as well as quick pace. He would surely add a much-needed dynamism to Barça’s front line. In terms of finishing, Martínez is comfortable with either foot and scores in an array of ways – whether shots from outside the box, one-on-one with keepers or heading. For his small stature, 4 of his league 14 goals are impressively headers, and he also has one assist from a header.
As a space-dominant player, he is an aggressive and tenacious competitor, earning himself the nickname “El Toro.” Statistically, when compared to top forwards in Europe’s “Big Five” leagues, he is in the 78th percentile with successful pressures per 90 – 4.58, the 88th percentile with pressures in the attacking third – 8.38, and the 99th percentile with interceptions (0.79 per 90). Suffice to say, Martínez delivers a high work rate day in and day out. While his contributions on the defensive end are well-noted, as evidenced by his 4.58 successful pressures per 90 minutes, his pressure can also cause defenders to turn over possession, leading to goal scoring opportunities.
Detractors may wonder if he can lead a front line and play as a lone striker for Barcelona, but he has all the skills to succeed in that role. Martínez is exactly what Barcelona need up top, offering stellar link-up play and an ability to create, confident finishing, positional intelligence, and an immense work rate. While finances will be a roadblock, Barcelona should not let Martínez slip through their fingers. At only 23, he can lead the front line for the next decade.
The Englishman has been among the cream of the crop when it comes to Premier League strikers in recent years. With Barcelona’s hunt for a striker gaining real traction for the first time since Luis Suarez’s departure, there is no doubt that he is one of the most premium candidates for the job.
Harry Kane has been at the heart of plenty of speculation when it comes to parting ways with Tottenham Hotspur, despite having the best part of three years left on his current contract with the North Londoners. Of late, Kane has been rather non-committal about his future with Spurs, with many reports hinting that he will seek an exit should Jose Mourinho’s side fail to clinch any silverware this season.
This means the door could be open for the Blaugrana to pursue him, despite years of being linked to Real Madrid. Naturally, the fact that his contract is valid till 2024 means that he will not come cheap. This is possibly the biggest and perhaps the only major roadblock to his signing, given Barcelona’s precarious financial situation.
Spurs have reportedly slapped a price tag close to €200 million for their star man. Considering Daniel Levy’s reputation for being a stark negotiator, it is tough to believe that tag can be driven much lower. Then again, summer target Erling Haaland will not come cheap either, as he has been valued at north of €150 million. When a club as big as Barcelona sets out for a marquee signing, especially in a position as important as that of a striker, they will have to shell out the big bucks either way.
Not to forget, the price is likely the only con in a sea of pros. At 27 years of age, he is in his physical prime and at the perfect stage of his career to splurge the cash on. The two-time Premier League Golden Boot winner is, of course, already proven, meaning that there is very little left to chance in terms of his output.
When one thinks about it, Kane is as close to the perfect centre-forward in the modern game as it gets. He is deadly inside the box, but more crucially for a team like Barcelona, he is just as incredible outside of it. In fact, he is so much more than just a striker. He holds up the ball phenomenally well and has a brilliant eye for a pass, which has been a staple of his wonderful form for Spurs this season. Over the years, he has evolved into a much more complete technical player aside from being a superb goalscorer.
Kane is already the ninth highest-scoring goalscorer in Premier League history with a 160 goals. This season alone, he has 30 goal contributions in the league alone, sitting second to only Mohamed Salah in the Prem’s scoring charts with 17 goals, but the top of the assists table with 13. Truly staggering numbers for a striker.
Barcelona undoubtedly need a world-class striker in their ranks, and Harry Kane can fill that void and how. His qualities on and off the ball will massively benefit the Catalans’ free-flowing cohesive football, and he will convert his scoring chances more often than not. Not to forget that, despite establishing himself as one of world football’s elite, Kane has not yet managed to get his hands on any silverware. Something he will desperately hope to change while he’s in his peak years.
And Barcelona, albeit in a state of rebuild, are looking for just the kind of winning desire that Harry Kane possesses in order to cement the foundation of a sporting project that will bring in trophies for years to come. Kane could be just the kind of statement signing that would benefit both club and player massively.
Conclusion
Joan Laporta has one hell of a task at his hands trying to sign a striker this summer; there are plenty of premium assets on the market, but during a summer where the financial capital of nearly every club is stumped to its core. This task gains even more importance when we realise that Erling Haaland could very well sign for Real Madrid, and competition with them will raise hell. Ronald Koeman has shown that the team is capable of sky-breaking things, but their potential can only be reached with a world-class striker in the arsenal.
Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay has told an amazing story about how he got Lionel Messi’s shirt after our Champions League match against Barcelona in 2019.
Our Academy graduate believes the Argentina icon is the best player in world football and impressively has his match-worn jersey on display at home, in pride of place on his bedroom wall.
Acquiring such a famous shirt is no easy task, however, and McTominay’s request was amusingly met by a frosty response from Messi – because he blamed Scott for receiving a bloody face at Old Trafford.
It’s fair to say Messi was in the wars when he visited Old Trafford in 2019.
The Barcelona talisman was given some rough treatment during the first leg of our quarter-final tie back in 2019, which we unfortunately lost 1-0.
Messi was visibly hurt from a challenge with former United defender Chris Smalling and made his frustrations clear to the referee.
Unfortunately for McTominay, his hero blamed him and a post-match request for his shirt via international team-mate Sergio Romero fell flat.
In a conversation with ESPN about the best player in the world, Scott says: “Messi, 100 per cent. Yeah, Messi, Messi. I got his shirt, you know?
“So, whenever we played against him for Barcelona [in 2009], Chris Smalling elbowed him and he’s got blood coming out of his nose. And he thought it was me.
Scott McTominay needed an assist from Sergio Romero to get Messi's shirt 😅
“Because I said to Sergio Romero, ‘please can you ask Messi to get his shirt?’.
“Sergio comes back in and said, ‘Oh, he thinks you were the one who elbowed him on the halfway line’. I said, ‘No, no, no, no – tell him it wasn’t me, so make sure I get that shirt because that’s going in my bedroom’. So he knows it wasn’t me now.
“Sorry Chrissy, but he was the one who roughed him up a bit.”
Truth media 