FC Barcelona aren’t exactly the type to throw around big money on star players, although recent years tell a different story.
After the departure of Neymar Jr. to Paris Saint-Germain, the Blaugrana were left with a bucket load of money with two big positions to fill – a midfielder and a winger.
The club used the €222 million from the sale of Brazilian to fund the arrivals of Ousmane Dembele and Philippe Coutinho.
However, neither has turned out to be a success so far but there are other examples in the club’s history which tells it’s nothing new for the Spanish giants.
Let’s look at the three big-money signings who have underachieved during their time with the Blaugrana club.
Zlatan Ibrahimović
The former Swedish international, who currently plies his trade in Major League Soccer (MLS) with LA Galaxy, was once a marquee signing for Barca.
Ibrahimović arrived from Inter Milan for a humongous fee of €69.5 million, but soon fell out of favour with manager Pep Guardiola who changed his tactics and didn’t see the Swede as a viable option.
After continuous spats within the dressing room, Ibrahimović was sent out on loan to AC Milan at the end of the 2009/10 season.
The Spanish giants later sold him to the same club for a mere €24 million at the end of his loan spell in 2011.
Andre Gomes
Just 22 years old at the time, the Portuguese star made a move to Barcelona turning down their arch-rivals Real Madrid on his way.
However, the move backfired as Gomes failed to make a name for himself in the star-studded XI at Camp Nou.
Gomes, who left Valencia for Barcelona in a deal worth €37 million, was continuously jeered by the local fans.
Two years later, he was loaned out on a loan deal to Premier League side Everton, and with recent developments, one can say he has found his new home at Goodison Park.
The Toffees took advantage of the Gomes’ situation at Camp Nou and signed him for a fee of €25 million earlier this summer.
Dmytro Chygrynskiy
The Blaugrana signed the former Ukrainian International in the same summer they appointed a Barca B coach as the manager of the senior side.
Chygrynskiy arrived from Shakhtar Donetsk for an expensive fee of €25 million, and although he managed a poor 851 minutes in his debut season, Guardiola saw huge potential in the youngster.
However, the club’s economic status meant that the versatile right-footed centre-back had to be sold.
He was sold to his former employers on a €10 million loss a year later, and joined the list of top potentials who never made it in a Blaugrana shirt.
