It’s safe to say that since Xavi Hernandez took over as the club’s first team head coach, Barcelona’s hit rate on signings has been rather good. Former Director of Football Mateu Alemany played a big role in these successes, but Xavi also played his part.
Sport have detailed the methodologies that Xavi uses when deciding what players he wants signed for his Barcelona team. He uses the club’s own reports, but likes to build his own using a number of different methods, which includes the affect that any possible signings would have on the dressing room.
Xavi typically analyses a player’s technical, physical and tactical capabilities at the start of his process, something that can he does by watching videos and live matches while using continuous monitoring or data offered by a number of different platforms.
Xavi will also often lean on his players for insight into potential signings, as was the case in January when he was dissuaded from pursuing deals for Benjamin Pavard and Arthur Melo by Ousmane Dembele and Sergio Busquets respectively.
It’s safe to say that these methods have been very successful for Xavi so far, and Barcelona will hope that this continues to be the case going forward.
