5 superstars sold by Pep Guardiola

#3 Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich to Real Madrid)

Kroos playing for Bayern in the Champions League

The first non-Barcelona player on the list to have been sold by Pep Guardiola, Toni Kroos was a highly-rated product of the Bayern Munich academy. The German orchestrator spent seven years contracted to the Bayern first-team before being offloaded to Real Madrid in 2014.

In Pep Guardiola's first season at the Allianz Stadium, Toni Kross was a vital player in midfield. He played a whopping 51 matches in the 2013-14 season, scoring four times and laying out a further 9 assists.

ON THIS DAY: In 2014, Real Madrid signed Toni Kroos from Bayern Munich for an undisclosed fee. 👕 320 games🅰️ 62 assists ⚽ 22 goals 🏆 13 trophies What a signing. pic.twitter.com/ptSYgd8VZJ

— Squawka Football (@Squawka) July 17, 2021

However, that season proved to be his first as well as last under Pep Guardiola. Due to contractual disputes, Kroos was sold to Real Madrid for a nominal fee of €25m with Xabi Alonso going in the other direction. The footballing world has been left guessing of what Guardiola could've made out of the German maestro.

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#2 Samuel Eto'o (Barcelona to Inter)

Eto'o has spent time with both Real Madrid and Barca

Part of the previously-mentioned swap deal between Barcelona and Inter, Samuel Eto'o was used as a bargaining chip in Ibrahimovic's transfer to Camp Nou. The Cameroonian was dumped at the door of Inter by Pep Guardiola, along with a bucketload of cash in 2010.

Prior to his controversial move to Italy, Eto'o was a monumental figure in Barcelona. He used to wreak havoc in opposition defences with the Catalans, scoring a mind-boggling 130 goals in just 199 appearances.

Samuel Eto'o, the only player to win three trophies with two different clubs in two consecutive seasons, left football two years ago today.🇪🇸 #Barcelona 2008/09☑️Champions League☑️La Liga☑️Copa del Rey🇮🇹 #Inter 2009/10☑️Champions League☑️Serie A☑️Coppa Italia#UCL pic.twitter.com/lB4ROZOzcb

— Noxwin (@noxwin12) September 7, 2021

This astonishing feat didn't stop Pep Guardiola from sending the veteran striker away after just one season. The deal cost Barcelona close to €70m with the club acquiring the services of Ibrahimovic. Eto'o had the last laugh though, going on to win the treble with Inter in his first season.

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#1 Ronaldinho (Barcelona to AC Milan)

Ronaldinho was magisterial for Barcelona

Surprisingly, Ronaldinho was one of the players who was ousted from the club following Pep Guardiola's appointment. Along with Deco, the Brazilian dribbler was deemed surplus to requirements by the Spanish manager, even before the 2008-09 season began.

Stating Ronaldinho's lenient disciplinary and fitness issues as his motivation to show him the door, Pep Guardiola boldly axed the team's star man to assert his authority. The creative maestro was Barcelona's talisman for multiple seasons before his departure to AC Milan.

Pep Guardiola: "Players like Ronaldo and Ronaldinho I haven't seen in the new era of football. Ronaldinho, if he had been more disciplined, and Ronaldo without so many injuries, they would have been the two greatest players in history."

— MR KEMS (@mr_kems4) September 8, 2021

As Guardiola went on to win the elusive sextuple in his maiden campaign, nobody ever questioned his decision to sack a 28-year-old Ronaldinho. While the Spaniard masterminded the most successful period in the club's history in the following years, the Brazilian saw his stock plummet after his exit from Catalonia.

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