Nelson Semedo is on his way to Wolverhampton Wanderers for €30 million plus €10m in variables. This ends the Barcelona career of a player that never fully realized his potential but also gets more hate than he deserves.
Semedo was given the unenviably task of getting Culers to forget about Dani Alves while overtaking Sergi Roberto for the starting job. In three years and 122 appearances, you could argue that the Portuguese right-back and Roberto were not really 1A And 1B at the position, but more 2A and 2B, with neither player ever really stringing together consistent performances that would earn them a starting spot on similar teams.
But does Barcelona have a plan to replace Semedo or was it just a move to make some money? Reports are that Sergino Dest, Max Aarons, and Emerson have all been rumored as potential replacements, but as we discussed in the latest edition of The Barcelona Podcast, you can’t believe anything until the player is holding up the jersey.
It was an odd time to move on from Semedo. With the club lacking funds, the soon-to-be 27-year-old probably would have been a useful player this year, especially if the club can’t find an adequate replacement. Due to the exits of Luis Suárez, Ivan Rakitic and Arturo Vidal, the club’s big summer “clear-out” hasn’t brought back much money, but Semedo’s departure changes that.
Semedo shouldn’t be remembered in comparison to Dani Alves, but he will be. He shouldn’t be compared to Douglas either. Instead, he is more comparable to Adriano and Maxwell (LB), and better than Martin Montoya. Semedo has played for Barcelona in an era where full-backs are becoming more and more important and that has actually worked against him.
There is a reason why full-backs are so hard to remember. They are usually moved to a more influential position. Club legend Joaquim Rifé was an exception, moving from midfield to full-back as he aged. After Dani Alves, the next right-backs on the all-time list consist of Julio César Benítez, Michael Reiziger, Albert Ferrer and Gerardo Miranda, in no order and with some probably missing. Semedo is in the next batch of players who made over 100 appearances and contributed something to trophies.
Barcelona fans may see a better Semedo at Wolves than they ever did at the Camp Nou. Not only is he joining a number of Portuguese talents in Nuno Espirito Santo’s side, but he will also have less work to do in a more counter-attacking side.
Best of luck to Nelson Semedo in the West Midlands.
Dan Hilton is an American journalist, broadcaster, and current Editor-in-Chief of BarcaBlog. Extensive work as a play-by-play broadcaster, producer behind the scenes, and quite average player in his younger years has given him a well-rounded and informative perspective on the sport. Alongside BarcaBlog founder Francesc, Dan started The Barcelona Podcast in 2017.
