5 times Barcelona overpaid for a player

The current financial predicament of Barcelona can find its roots in the impulsive decisions taken under the imprudent management of former president Josep Bartomeu. The erratic politician is largely responsible for driving the biggest club in world football into a complete monetary abyss.

However, considering the wealth they have acquired over the course of history, Barcelona have been known to make bizarre transferral choices from time to time, irrespective of their management.

Barcelona's worst signings in the pre-Bartomeu era

Prior to Neymar's record-breaking sale in 2017, which absolutely derailed their transfer dynamic, Barcelona already had a brief history of spending big bucks on eventual failures. The Blaugrana's €25 million acquisition of Dmytro Chyhrynskyi in 2009 was so dreadful that the Ukrainian was sent back to Shakhtar Donetsk just 11 months later.

While Marc Overmars was viewed as a gifted winger during his time at Arsenal and Ajax, the Dutchman's career took a massive nosedive following his €29.3 million switch to Barcelona. They once again overpaid for the services of the supposed Brazilian prodigy Keirrison in 2009, paying €14 million for someone who would go on to make zero appearances.

With such a detailed history of misinterpreting the transfer market, it comes as no surprise that Barcelona are currently struggling for funds. Their reckless spending has finally taken a toll on the club, with the Catalan giants barely plugging away just to pay wages to the employed players.

Taking their habit of exorbitant spending into consideration, let's have a look at five times when Barcelona grossly overpaid for a single player:

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#5 Miralem Pjanic - €60 million

Pjanic is set to return to Barcelona next year

Miralem Pjanic's €60 million switch to Barcelona has proven to be an absolute disaster, with his signing inflicting more than just monetary damage on the club. Pjanic's transfer was only facilitated by the sale of promising youngster Arthur Melo to Juventus, making the deal a double whammy for Barcelona.

The Bosnia and Herzegovina international suffered a nightmarish debut campaign at Camp Nou, contributing zero goals in 30 appearances for the Blaugrana last term. Having failed to gain Ronald Koeman's trust throughout the 2020-21 season, Pjanic could only manage a paltry 1,295 on-field minutes in his maiden campaign with Barcelona.

While the initial deal was labeled a disaster from the get-go, Pjanic was expected to bring some much-needed creativity to Camp Nou, at the very least. However, without a defined role in the first team, the 31-year-old midfielder failed to make an impact and was spat out on a season-long loan to Besiktas this summer.

With Koeman no longer at Barcelona's helm, Pjanic will be hoping to redeem his tarnished reputation next year.

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#4 Zlatan Ibrahimovic - €45 million + Samuel Eto'o

Ibrahimovic just spent one season with Barcelona

The first non-Bartomeu signing on the list, Zlatan Ibrahimovic's move to Barcelona in 2009 created a lot of buzz in the footballing world due to the deal's nature. In their desperation to acquire the Swedish talisman from Inter, the Blaugrana inexplicably agreed to send a proven Samuel Eto'o the other way.

Eto'o had already established his place in the club's history due to his invaluable contribution at the time of the transfer. Regardless, there was no hesitation exuded by Pep Guardiola, who agreed to part ways with the Cameroonian legend and an extra €45 million in favor of Ibrahimovic. Predictably, Inter and Eto'o came out as clear victors of the deal, making a mockery of Barcelona's poor negotiating skills.

Ibrahimovic would only last one season at Camp Nou after a feud with Guardiola resulted in his exile on loan to AC Milan. He was eventually sold to the Rossoneri in 2012 for a significantly low amount of €24 million. Eto'o, on the other hand, became the only player to win two successive continental trebles, achieving the feat with Inter in his debut campaign.

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#3 Antoine Griezmann - €120 million

Griezmann has now returned to Atletico Madrid

The perfect example of Barcelona's reckless spending in recent times, Antoine Griezmann's €120 million transfer to Camp Nou has put an enormous dent in the club's finances. Having relentlessly pursued his signature the previous year, the Blaugrana achieved success in capturing their target in 2019 for a grossly overpriced fee.

Griezmann was the leading man in a flourishing Atletico Madrid side before his unfortunate switch to Barcelona. Despite their heavy interest in the player, the Catalan giants actually had no predecided plans to incorporate the French superstar into their primary lineup. Subsequently, Griezmann was left stranded on the left flank, with Barcelona failing to unlock the forward's true potential.

In two seasons with his new club, Griezmann could only produce a substandard output of 35 goals and 17 assists. Due to his minimal contribution and astronomical wages, the Frenchman was finally ousted from the club this year, with Barcelona sending him back to Atletico. Having sold him for a whopping €120 million, Los Rojiblancos can now sign him permanently for the cut-price rate next year.

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#2 Ousmane Dembele - €135 million

Dembele is yet to make a single appearance this season

Ousmane Dembele's big-money transfer to Barcelona is the ideal representation of a panic buy in football. Having lost Neymar to PSG for a world-record fee of €222 million in 2017, the Catalans descended into a state of frenzy. As such, they were desperately trying to find a suitable replacement for the outgoing Brazilian.

Impressed by Dembele's return of 10 goals and 22 assists in his solitary season with Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona inexplicably splashed €135 million on him. With the deal having the potential to rise up to €145 million, a lot of expectations were rested on the young shoulders of Dembele.

Despite possessing obvious talent, injuries have mercilessly robbed the 24-year-old of a promising career. Notably, Dembele is currently recovering from the 12th major injury of his Barcelona career. Nevertheless, a fee in excess of €100 million for an unproven youngster could never be deemed a smart decision, and the Spanish giants are yet to recover from this colossal loss.

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#1 Philippe Coutinho - €135 million

Coutinho has little time to rescue his Barcelona career

Arguably the strongest contender for the title of the worst signing in Barcelona's history, Philippe Coutinho's move from England to Spain has massively backfired. The Blaugrana's record signing has failed miserably to settle into life in Catalonia, making him the ideal choice for the top spot on this list.

Purchased during the 2018 winter transfer window, Coutinho was expected to become an instant star at Camp Nou. A key figure at Liverpool, the Brazilian attacker possessed all the makings of a Barcelona player. The stage was set for Coutinho to dazzle the Blaugrana audience with his exceptional creative and dribbling skills.

However, due to inadequate management of the player and a dismal injury record, Coutinho could never find his footing at Camp Nou. A season-long loan spell with Bayern Munich did little to revive his dormant career. With the deal reportedly worth a whopping €160 million (inclusive of add-ons), Barcelona's acquisition of the Brazilian is undoubtedly the most overpriced transfer in the club's history.

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