5 most notable Barcelona panic buys
Barcelona have been one of the worst-performing clubs in the transfer market over the past decade. However, Camp Nou has played host to some of the greatest players in the modern era, including the likes of Lionel Messi, Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Ronaldinho.
The incredible talent nurtured at La Masia academy has papered over the cracks in the past, but Barcelona’s incompetencies in transfer dealings have now come to the fore. The former administration drove the club into massive debt through exorbitant spending on wages and transfer fees.
On that note, here's a look at the five most notable Barcelona panic buys over the years.
#5 Francisco Trincao
Portuguese winger Francisco Trincao was one of Barcelona’s most recent panic buys as the club splurged on the forward after losing Luis Suarez in the same transfer window.
The Blaugrana have consistently overspent on attacking talent in the past few years, paying well over market value for the likes of Trincao, Ousmane Dembele and Malcom. Like in the case of Neymar, Barcelona took no time to assess the situation following Suarez’s departure, and went on to complete the hasty signing of Trincao on a £27.9 million deal.
The Portuguese largely featured in a substitute role during his debut season at the club, with 25 of his 28 La Liga appearances coming from the bench. Trincao was recently sent out on loan to Premier League outfit Wolves at the beginning of the 2021-22 season.
#4 Malcom
Under the presidency of Josep Maria Bartomeu, Barcelona were extremely trigger-happy when splashing their cash.
The signing of Malcom is a prime example of that, as Bartomeu signed the Brazilian on a €41 million transfer in the summer of 2018. He went against the wishes of then-manager Ernesto Valverde, who was keen on signing Willian from Chelsea.
Bartomeu could have saved the money had he opted to sign the former Blues winger, but he chose to spend the cash on a big-money move for Malcom to indulge the Blaugrana faithful. The Brazilian was all set to make the trip to Rome as AS Roma fans waited outside the airport to greet their latest arrival.
However, the Barcelona administration had other ideas, as they swooped in at the last minute to sign the Brazilian player on a five-year deal. He would make only 24 appearances during his season-long stay at Camp Nou, though.