5 big money flops signed by Barcelona under Bartomeu’s leadership

Football administrators, pundits, and fans will always say that there is no guarantee that a new signing will deliver. There are so many reasons why no matter the amount a player costs if conditions are not right, even the most expensive players will fail to deliver.

In the last decade, only Real Madrid has been as successful as FC Barcelona. The Catalans have emerged from the mediocre latter years of Josep Lluís Núñez and the disaster that was the Joan Gaspart era (2000-2003) to become truly successful under the reigns of Joan Laporta (2003-2010­), Sandro Rosell (2010-2014) and currently Josep Bartomeu.

Under the Bartomeu era, which officially began in January 2014, the Blaugrana has won an impressive total of 11 trophies including 3 La Liga and one UEFA Champions League title.

However, his reign has been one characterized by daft spending on a lot of players who have failed to add anything of value to the team. Having failed to learn from his past failures, the rumors about Barca offering £65m to Chelsea for a player like Willian have not come as a surprise.

Here is a look at 5 of the worst big money signings Barcelona has made under the stewardship of Bartomeu:

#5 Jeremy Mathieu (£18m from Valencia)

Mathieu never got going for Barca

When Carles Puyol announced his intention to retire at the end of the 2013-2014 season, a lot of Barcelonistas were apprehensive about his possible replacements.

This was understandable: Puyol had been captain fantastic, the leader who willed the team forward and who always gave 200% for the cause.

Luis Enrique had just been appointed as coach after the train wreck that was Gerald “Tata” Martino.

Somehow, Bartomeu and then sporting director had the brilliant idea that a 30-year-old Frenchman; Jeremy Mathieu was the answer.

Perhaps the thinking was that Mathieu’s left foot mixed with his physicality and strength would be the perfect element to combine with Gerard Pique’s possession-based and more intelligent style of defending.

The signing turned out to be an utter joke. The former French international was almost constantly injured playing only 91 times in 3 seasons at the club.

Whenever he played, he often appeared out of his depth and caused Culés no small amount of concern with his decision making.

#4 Thomas Vermaelen (£17.10m from Arsenal)

Injuries have plagued his time in Spain

Brought in the same time as Mathieu and probably for the same reason, the signing of the former Arsenal captain was supposed to be a compliment for the Pique-Mathieu combination.

The Belgian center-back had emerged as one of the better defenders in Europe since he joined Ajax and later on Arsenal.

His aerial strength, agility, tackling ability and organizational skills were immense for the Gunners in his first season at the club. A raft of injuries then curtailed his growth such that Arsene Wenger eagerly accepted Barcelona’s bid.

Vermaelen’s time at Barcelona has been an unending tale of injury woes. A sorry total of 41 matches in a Barcelona shirt tell the story of a player who has never been fit enough for any coach to build with.

Even the most regular of Camp Nou attendees will be hard pressed to name any game in which the 33-year-old has shown exactly why he was bought.

#3 Andre Gomes (£33.3m from Valencia)

Gomes was never what Barcelona needed

The sad tale of this very talented midfielder highlights Barca’s obsession with replacing Xavi (an almost impossible task).

Arriving in 2016 from Valencia, Gomes was/is a Kaka-like player whose game was built on moving the ball quickly, looking for spaces to exploit and shooting from distance. Being asked to become a Xavi-like controller/regista was always going to be a tough ask.

Under the bright lights of the Camp Nou, Gomes has shown his quality in fits and starts.

Under former manager Luis Enrique, Gomes struggled badly. Fans that had been spoiled by the majestic performances of midfield maestros like Xavi, Andreas Iniesta and to a lesser extent; Thiago Alcantara was less than impressed by the gangling ex-Valencia player’s displays.

Lacking confidence and often used in a variety of positions that did not fit in with his specific skill set, Gomes alongside former Valencia teammate Paco Alcacer have always looked out of a place in a Barca team that has not played to their strengths.

He has reportedly cleared out his locker as he is desperate to leave and with the club also desperate to sell, this inconvenient marriage seems to have reached its inevitable end.

#2 Paco Alcacer (£27m from Valencia)

Once a bright star, Alcacer's career at Barca has been a failure

The Next Big Thing who has become the Forgotten Man, Alcacer’s prospects and career has faded faster than the scruples of a Nigerian politician.

At Valencia and in the Spanish press, a lot of good things were being said about the player before he moved to Barca. His size, technique, and style of play reminded many of a certain David “El Guaje” Villa.

It was widely believed that following the decline of Fernando Torres and Villa, the then-22-year old would be the standard bearer for La Furia Roja’s frontline.

Then came his ill-fated move to Barca in 2016 where it has gone downhill since. He was brought in under Enrique to offer a different attacking threat from the MSN trident (Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, and Neymar).

Alcacer was never going to displace to be able to displace a trio that had scored a mind-boggling 122 goals in the treble-winning 2014/2015 season.

The Torrent-born striker has never got going for the Blaugrana despite scoring a respectable 15 goals in 50 appearances till date.

Alongside Gomes, he is another example of the failed Valencia-to-Barcelona route (only Villa and Jordi Alba have been successes in recent years).

#1 Arda Turan (£30.60m from Atletico Madrid)

Turan will remain an indictment of Bartomeu's leadership

Undoubtedly the biggest waste of money under Bartomeu’s mismanagement (Paulinho’s deal may trump this by next season), it is still unclear what the thinking behind this move was.

Following the brilliant treble win Bartomeu’s first full season as Barca supremo (and Enrique’s first as coach), the very bad decision to purchase Turan with little regard to what his role would be was taken.

A player who had excelled in Diego Simeone’s very rigid system which emphasized hard work and solidity over flair, the former captain of Turkey had looked imperious.

His close control, non-stop running, pace and precision had been the perfect counter-attacking weapon for Atleti.

At Barcelona, the demands were much different as the Turk lacked the guile and poise to play in midfield. He was also not good enough to effectively replace any of the MSN given his abilities and the style of play favoured by Enrique.

Barcelonistas could only watch in bewilderment as Turan constantly looked like a fish out of the water and never did much of note during his stint there.

Currently back in his homeland on loan at Istanbul Basaksehir, it’s almost certain that his contract will not be renewed. The sad story of his time with the club is one that will always hang around Bartomeu’s neck like a badge of shame.