Grading Barcelona on Their 2015 Summer Transfer Window Dealings
Barcelona have still managed to sign and sell players during this summer's transfer window despite a FIFA ban supposedly prohibiting the same.
A loophole in the punishment allowed the Catalans to circumvent the ban and sign players who would not be able to be registered to play until January 2016.
Quite whether it's a lack of ambition on the player's part to be only training for six months before trying to integrate into the team rather than playing each and every week elsewhere to that point is largely irrelevant.
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Those players have decided that Barcelona meets their needs professionally, and a short sabbatical is a sacrifice they are willing to make.
There have also been quite a few outgoings despite Barca's squad depth being under the microscope.
Let's take a look at who's come in and who's gone out and grade the deals accordingly.
Aleix Vidal—A
No sooner had Barca completed the treble in Berlin against Juventus, than more "good news" followed.
The day after the Champions League final, the Catalans announced that they had secured Sevilla's exciting wing-back Aleix Vidal on a contract until 2020.
At the time, Dani Alves had still to commit to the club after being offered a new deal, and his tears at the celebrations in Barcelona that followed the treble win suggested that he was saying his goodbyes.
In the end the Brazilian decided to put pen to paper and in so doing, Barca now have significant options in that right-back role.
Alves had no real competition previously for his spot, but knowing that Vidal will be willing to step into the breach at short notice should keep him on his toes and providing his best work.
Equally, Vidal hasn't joined to play second fiddle.
One further option to consider is the emergence of Sergi Roberto in the role. The youngster has acquitted himself well in the two games he has played since Alves sustained an injury that will sideline him for a month.
Of the three, Vidal can offer the most. In terms of being the right age, experience and application, his is another super signing by the club.
Arda Turan—A
Combative, competitive and skillful, Arda Turan is every inch the modern-day midfielder.
While the game per se has become largely based around stats, facts and who has run the most etc., there is still a place in today's game for a grafter. Someone who will always go the extra mile for the team.
Turan is precisely that type of exponent, but to dismiss him just as a workhorse is to do him a disservice.
Technically sound and strong in possession, there is little doubting that the ex-Atletico Madrid man can slot straight into the Barcelona midfield as required.
The question that might be on many supporters lips is where.
Captain Andres Iniesta is virtually untouchable at present in terms of a starting spot. Ergo, you wouldn't drop your club captain if he is fit and well.
Ivan Rakitic has been one of the best recent signings in the club's history, so it would be unthinkable at this juncture to imagine that he would be a fall guy.
Leaving Sergio Busquets. Ditto Rakitic.
Similar to Vidal in that for Enrique, Turan's acquisition presents heavyweight competition for places again, there's also the knowledge that if he is not a starter the Turkey international can waltz straight into the side as a substitute with no drop-off in quality.
Lest we forget that Turan is also adept at working the wide areas so will provide adequate cover as necessary in a number of key positions.
Denis Suarez—B
When Denis Suarez signed for Barca from Manchester City's Elite Development Squad, the talk was of a "new Xavi" being born.
A year at Barca B would help him adapt to the club before an inevitable promotion to the first team.
Unfortunately the latter never materialised and it was an easy decision to use the youngster as a makeweight in the deal to bring Ivan Rakitic to the club from Sevilla.
A two-year loan deal for Suarez was up at the end of the current season; however, with Sevilla boss Unai Emery using the player less and less recently, Villarreal saw the opportunity for a deal and have taken the player permanently after coming to an agreement with both Sevilla and Barca.
Per Sam Marsden of Sport, the Yellow Submarine have paid the Andalusians €4 million to cut short the player's loan deal and have negotiated a free transfer with Barca, albeit the Catalans retain a second option on the player and can buy him for €3 million at the end of the current campaign or €6 million at the end of 2017.
Like so many other young players recently, Suarez never really lived up to the hype and expectation. It would appear that he has failed to make the grade elsewhere to this point, and Barca are well covered in his position, so cutting ties with the player makes sense.
Albeit, the failure of yet another Barca youngster to step up does hint at issues with Barca's transfer policy, which probably needs to be addressed. Should they ever have bought him in the first place?
Ibrahim Afellay—A
After loan spells at Schalke and Olympiakos didn't bear any fruit for Ibrahim Afellay, Barcelona decided to cut their losses and allow the injury-prone Dutchman to leave on a free transfer.
Ex-Barca player Mark Hughes had no hesitation in taking him to Stoke City to have a crack at the Premier League alongside Bojan Krkic and Marc Muniesa, the Potters' other Barca rejects.
Just four games into his Stoke career and Afellay will be missing from a starting lineup yet again, although this time it's via a petulant sending-off rather than another injury, per Chris Wheeler of the Daily Mail.
His purchase promised much, but he never really hit the heights for the Catalans.
His best moment in a Barca shirt probably came when he set Lionel Messi up for a goal at the Santiago Bernabeu as Barcelona beat Real Madrid in the 2011 Champions League semifinals. That says it all, really.
Adama Traore—C
How many more from the La Masia production line will end up plying their trade elsewhere?
Much was expected of Adama Traore, and Lee Roden of talkSPORT even noted:
"Adama has been part of Barcelona’s academy for over nine years now, and the club have long believed that he is exceptional.
As a child, he constantly played at a higher age group, and has been hailed for his ability to take in and carry out tactical instructions from coaches.
"
Roden also notes that ex-Barca manager Tata Martino described Traore as "one of the most important prospects we have in our academy."
Given how highly the player was rated by all of his coaches at academy level, it is something of a surprise that he has been allowed to sign for Aston Villa.
As good as Barca's front three remain, their constant presence in the forward line is at the expense of younger talent, and there will likely be others who, when due a promotion from Barca B, will fall by the wayside.
Pedro Rodriguez—D
Quite possibly the worst piece of transfer business that Barcelona have done in a long, long time.
According to Sky Sports, manager Luis Enrique wanted Pedro to stay at the club:
"He is a high standard player that has already won everything. He has proven his qualities with good performances both for the club and the (Spanish) national team.
As his coach I want him to stay. I know him since he was in the second team.
"
The player himself didn't really want to leave. Per Goal.com, after the European Super Cup win vs. Sevilla Pedro told reporters:
"I will always be a Barcelona supporter, no matter what finally happens.
"
When there are rumours that I can leave it is not an easy situation for me. I have always tried to give my best to the club. I am ambitious and I want to play as much as possible.
I was angry when I knew I had to stay on the bench, having had a chance with Neymar's illness.
I don't want to leave Barcelona but it is a complicated situation. It is not a money question, but a continuity question. I want to play. Luis Enrique preferred other players and I have been waiting a lot of time.
So, against that backdrop, it is folly on Barcelona's part to have not been able to find a place in this team for one of its most hard-working exponents.
Chelsea will be the beneficiaries of his services, at a bargain price of £21 million.
Patric Gabarron—C
You'd be forgiven for asking "Patric who?"
Gabarron was a steady if unspectacular player for Barca B for a number of years and only made one appearance for the senior team in the entire time he was at the club.
That came against Ajax in the Champions League way back in November 2013.
Sold to Lazio in June, the player will be hoping to make the most of the four-year contract.
Alex Song—A
A player who has never really settled into the Barca way of life, Alex Song has renewed his loan deal with West Ham according to a tweet from Hammers chairman David Gold, via Tom Conn of Inside Spanish Football.
That the biggest talking point of his Blaugrana career was when he mistakenly thought Carles Puyol was handing him the La Liga trophy to lift in place of Eric Abidal is a guideline to just how much of a mistake his transfer from Arsenal was in the first place.
Still injured at present, West Ham are taking a gamble, but Barca are evidently keen to get him off of the books again.
Both clubs had originally agreed a three-year permanent deal for Song, so clearly there are issues with the player's fitness.
Co-chairman David Sullivan told the Knees Up Mother Brown podcast (via talkSPORT):
"We have a deal in place with Alex Song subject to a medical. If the medical is okay, we'll take him.
He's a player we all admire and we just hope that the medical shows he's in a sufficient state for us to gamble.
He couldn't physically pass a medical tomorrow, but if the medics say it's just a technical thing and he's only a couple of weeks away you'd take that gamble and hope they're right.
"
A gamble? On that basis you'd have to conclude that it's a fine piece of work by the movers and shakers in Catalonia to rid themselves of a player who'll not trouble the Barcelona first XI again.
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