However, this summer was the absolute peak of mismanagement from the Barcelona board. Things have gotten so far out of hand that the fans want current president, Josep Maria Bartomeu, out of the club at this very moment.
Obviously, when your second best attacker leaves the club while also leaving the future of the best player in the world in doubt, the least you could ask for is the board being sacked for not being competent. However, things haven’t been entirely terrible for the Catalans as they have actually been able to strengthen in areas where they were depleted before.
So, here is an attempt to grade Barcelona’s summer…
OUT
I like to bring the worst things out first because leaving them for later always leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Obviously, if you accidentally gorge faeces or something similar like dry-fish and then eat something as salivating and delicious as a pepperoni pizza, the terrible taste of the earlier stuff will fade away at least a little by the time you swallow the last bit of that pizza.
Departures: Jeremy Mathieu (Sporting), Cristian Tello (Betis), Neymar Jr (PSG), Samper (on loan to Las Palmas), Marlon Santos (on loan to Nice), Douglas (on loan to Benfica).
Neymar
While Barcelona may have seen quite a few players leave this season, Neymar is the only one that could be counted in this section since Cristian Tello wasn’t already in the club and the rest left on a free transfer or loan.
Now, now, let’s not get much into the details about this – this whole summer was about that anyway, so we have had more than just a fair share of how things have been regarding Neymar joining Paris-Saint Germain.
In short, this was a terrible thing to happen for Barcelona. The Catalans wanted to bully PSG over Marco Verratti but got themselves owned by PSG’s response. Even though Neymar left Barca with a sizeable amount of money, the moral defeat from his departure is something from which no fan can overcome.
The fact that his gargantuan transfer price of €222 million is the least talked-of aspect of this deal sheds a lot of light on the way this transfer is seen. However, the fact that Barcelona received a world-record payment can’t be completely overlooked, hence…
Grading: 1/10
That ‘one’ is for the economic gain only.
INS
Paulinho
I might be getting on the nerves of Barcelona fans here by repeatedly hurting their sentiments with all that was wrong in this window. But trust me on this one, things aren’t as bad most are making them out to be. I can at least guarantee that the next few slides will fill your hearts with hope.
However, let’s talk about Paulinho. People have bashed this signing left, right and centre. If I had to compare this with something, then I would go as far as claiming that if the summer window was Eid-al-Adha or Manasa Puja for Cules, then Paulinho was the sacrificial goat that has been slit by the throat.
If negative infinity was a thing, then the viewpoint on this transfer would be on the end of it.
The thing is, Paulinho might have failed at Tottenham, he might have been the worst player in the history of this Universe and all the other Universes combined, but the truth is that he is yet to play for Barcelona – which is why criticising him so vehemently makes little sense, especially when you consider that the Paulinho that turns up for Brazil would be of so much help for the Catalans.
However, I am not the one to get totally carried away and consider factors like his age of 28, €40 million transfer fee and systematic cognizance of Paulinho to adjudge the final rating, which is…
Grading: 6/10
Gerard Deulofeu
When he was making waves in the academy, Deulofeu was supposed to be the next best thing to come out from La Masia. Unfortunately, however, he couldn’t live up to his potential, but has yet managed to make a way back into the Camp Nou with Barcelona.
While he might not be the player that people hoped him to be by now, he could still do a decent job at covering for the attacking areas. The intelligence of his game is relatively low, but he has moments where it becomes very difficult for the defenders to stop him – and it might be those moments that weave the way for something glorious in this homecoming.
But don’t be too hopeful about it as it is almost set in stone that the front three will consist of Luis Suarez, Ousmane Dembele and Lionel Messi – aka, LOL.
For €13 million, this is a 6/10.
Nelson Semedo
Imagine a scenario where the best right-back of your history is on the verge of leaving the club and you have to sign somebody to replace him. If there is no-one good enough coming from the academy, what’s the ideal thing to do?
Obviously, sign a right-back that is at least good enough to lace the boots of his predecessor. But, no, Barcelona are too hipster to do something like that – so they signed Douglas while letting go of the chance to acquire the signature of one of Spain’s most gifted prodigies, Marco Asensio.
After a while, you realise than your new right-back isn’t good enough for your club, so you signed another right-back of similar kind, Aleix Vidal. and fail with him, too. But now, it seems as though the Azulgranas have redeemed themselves with the signing of Nelson Semedo – a fantastic right-back from Benfica that can attack while also holding his ground in defence.
Well, after two failed attempts, the Blaugranas have finally got this one right after spending €30 million – something they should have done in the first place.
Grading: 8/10
Ousmane Dembele
Chaos fell after the sale of Neymar. It was though the waves from the Brazilian’s departure caused a tempest which was going to devour everyone from the board members to the team. The fans themselves were the cause of the violent display that nature sometimes bestows on us.
The board had to do something. Philippe Coutinho and Ousmane Dembele were targeted – and they got the latter for a club record €105 million plus €42 million in bonuses. Barcelona might have spent a lot of money for the Frenchman, who they could have signed for only €15 million a year ago, but have an insane talent in their hands, regardless.
Dembele at 20 is better than what Neymar was at the same age. The natural ability of the Frenchman is going to wreak havoc against many a defences in La Liga and there is little doubt that the whizkid with challenger Neymar for the Ballon d’Or in the future.
Grading: 10/10
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