Amazing responses from people! Really totally different from my views and thoughts when I first read it...
I liked this idea and Fergie would be very very smart to pull it off...I was surprised that people forgot that Puyol can play right back..? His not only a center back!! He did make his name as one of the worlds best defenders in a right back position and even got the award for best european right back from UEFA in 2002 so no he will not be a 3rd choice centre back - he would instead be our first choice right back so all the people saying its a dumb idea for him to come as our reserve cb got the idea totally wrong imo.
People put the names of Lahm as a right back, but has played as a left back for the past few seasons but do realise that he can play right back and same with sergio ramos who can play centre and right back but failed to realise hat Puyol can play both so yeah I just wanted to inform people of that.
Yes it is true he is the symbol of Barca but so is Xabi and he always is linked with other clubs...to me Barca is the type of club that no matter who the player is, if they get the right fee they will accept the transfer bid and leave it to the player to decide if he wants to move or not - just like Man United do it. It didn't matter if your Ruud, Keane or Becks - enough cash or problems occur and you can leave if a club comes calling. They did it with Rivaldo and Figo so I why can't it happen to Puyol? Every player has his price at Barca imo.
To me it depends on the new coach and what he wants. Does he even want Pique or not. Does he want cash or not. Does he want Puyol or not. Rafa came in to Poo fc and sold Owen asap just so he could get cash and even accepted a transfer fee from Chelsea for Gerrard and they are both symbols of Liverpoo mind you...
For the people who forgot that Puyol has only played 12 times all season this season for Barca and was not even a first team starter because of his injuries and just did not walk back in to the team because he is the captain - exactly the same with Gary Neville and Man United. We did not sacrifice Brown just because Neville passed match fit. We even opted to play Hargo at rb than Neville!
They have enough cover at the back in: Edmilson (cb), Oleguer (cb or rb), Thuram (cb or rb), Sylvinhio (lb/lwb), Zamboratta (rb/rwb), Marquez (cb), Milito (cb) and Abidal (lb) and they would also get Pique and cash to buy new players as they are linked to Lahm and Alves so him leaving and getting replacement is not impossible as some people have suggested. Even without Puyol they can have 2 players in each position in the back four and if they buy more even more squad depth - my point is they can cope without him, hence its not impossible.
