A Progress Report on Barcelona's Summer Signings

Barcelona went to town on incoming transfers during the summer, partly due to relative inactivity in the previous few windows but also in the knowledge that a FIFA ban would preclude them from doing so for a year-and-a-half.

Seven new faces arrived and they have all had vastly differing openings to their Blaugrana career.

Luis Suarez was by far the most expensive capture as Barca took a leaf out of Real Madrid's books with the second "galactico" in a year following the arrival of Neymar the previous summer.

Let's take a look at how the signings have fared...

Marc-Andre Ter Stegen

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The young German would surely have envisaged more action.

Champions League keeper of choice, Marc-Andre ter Stegen has had a mixed bag of appearances to this point.

Given hardly anything to do in the first group win against APOEL Nicosia, ring-rustiness probably accounted for his howler in the next match against Paris Saint-Germain.

It was the young German's first real test and in truth he was a bag of nerves.

Redeeming himself in both matches against Ajax has gone some way to restoring the faith of supporters, and we are sure to see more of Ter Stegen during the latter stages of the season and as the Copa del Rey gets underway.

Claudio Bravo

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Claudio Bravo has been in excellent form.

Bravo, Claudio!

The custodian has been the signing of the summer so far, turning in a string of top-class performances.

Such excellence deserved a reward which duly came when he beat Pedro Maria Artola's record from 1978 for going the longest time without conceding a goal from the start of the season.

FCBarcelona.com proudly note the seven shutouts, with Bravo the first goalkeeper in La Liga history to go 630 minutes+ before, inevitably, the Barca goal was breached.

Although he has since conceded, none of the goals can be attributed to his errors. 

A fine replacement for Victor Valdes.

Douglas

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Could Douglas be the dud transfer that everyone expected?

The transfer of right-back Douglas from Sao Paulo is among the strangest we've seen from the Blaugrana for some time, although his representatives, Traffic, have form with the Catalans.

Per Goal.com:

"

It wouldn't be the first time a Traffic player has made a slightly perplexing transfer to Barcelona. Henrique joined the club for a fee of around €8m from Palmeiras 2008, while Keirrison arrived the following year in a deal worth closer to €14m.

After a series of loan spells, both would return to Brazil on free transfers without making a single Liga appearance.

"

Douglas has at least trumped his stable-mates having made a 74-minute cameo against Malaga, but he has been completely out of the picture before and since.

Difficult to say at this juncture whether we will see him in a Barca shirt again.

Thomas Vermaelen

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Thomas Vermaelen has had a nightmare start to his Blaugrana career.

Thomas Vermaelen has the potential to be just about the most pointless transfer in Barcelona's history.

Signed back in August, we have still yet to see the Belgian in first-team action.

Approaching the end of November and still no sign of when he might be available, Vermaelen's purchase is turning into a nightmare.

The notion that Barca might just cut their losses in January isn't so fanciful now is it?

Jeremy Mathieu

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Jeremy Mathieu has been a real success story.

It seems a very long time ago now that supporters and commentators, World Soccer Talk's Dan Adu-Gyamfi among them, concerned themselves with Jeremy Mathieu's age and ability.

Over 30 was supposedly over the hill, but the Frenchman has set about proving everyone wrong and dished out a fair amount of humble pie in the process.

Easily Barca's best defender so far this season, Mathieu has been the rock on which Barca's celebrated attacks have been built.

He has to be one of the first names on the team sheet at this stage of proceedings and subsequent displays at the same high level will cement his place at the heart of the back line.

Ivan Rakitic

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Ivan Rakitic has continued the good form from his Sevilla days.

Ivan Rakitic has brought a different dimension to Barcelona's midfield since his arrival from Sevilla.

The player with the most passes in the side, his youthful vigour and propensity for hard work, diligence and accuracy, see him as the most obvious choice to replace Xavi Hernandez, whom he continues to keep out of the side.

Three goals scored is a reasonable return from his position but one that he may well wish to improve upon given the positions that he routinely takes up in the opposition area.

At just £15 million, probably the bargain buy of the summer and a player who will continue to be a real asset to the club throughout the season.

Luis Suarez

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Luis Suarez has been unlucky not to score so far.

A protracted start to Luis Suarez's Barcelona career seems to have, at least for now, had a marked effect on his fitness.

With just a handful of games under his belt, it's clear to anyone that Suarez is off the pace and would probably benefit from a little extra time in the gym.

That said, he certainly knows where the goal is, hitting the target at will and showing he has lost none of the desire to score goals.

Four assists in just over three games is a fine return and there is sure to be plenty more to come from the Uruguayan.