Barça is in a critical situation in terms of play and results after almost 250 million euros spent on transfers in the last two years. The investment has borne fruit in a Super Cup and a League and it cannot be ruled out that it will be more fruitful with still three titles at stake. But the dynamics of the team in this campaign invite us to question whether the economic effort has been sufficiently compensated. None of the reinforcements have been revaluedOn the contrary, the returns point to a devaluation of its price.
Xavi Hernández has received 18 signings since he began to sit on the Barça bench from November 2021. The club has only paid money for 6 players. The others arrived with the letter of freedom and transfers, a fact that reveals the precariousness of a minor team, always in search of opportunities in sales.
The involution of reinforcements
Perhaps it could be considered as a first word the arrival of Robert Lewandowski, although his 34 years suggest that the forward’s best times had passed. He has scored seven fewer goals this season (21 to 14 this season). He was not a cheap signing (45 million plus 5 in variables) nor was his signing.
Surely, Jules Koundé, in the summer of 2022, was an essential acquisition after a notable period at Sevilla and Xavi’s insistence on hiring him. His versatility to play as a centre-back and full-back has been the subject of discussion due to the French international’s alleged distaste for playing on the Barça wing, although in the French team he has no other choice to play. His performance in the Super Cup classic has not been the subject of discussion, but rather criticism, due to his involvement in two goals for Madrid.
30 million for the future
João Cancelo and Ilkay Gündogan do not lack prestige, The first was on loan, the second was free, after arriving in Barcelona from Manchester City, where they participated in winning the treble (Cancelo only half a season, before being loaned to Bayern Munich due to his disagreements with Guardiola).
But neither João Félix nor Oriol Romeu -the only expense, 3.4 million plus the loan of Pablo Torre- were Xavi’s first option in their respective positions this summer. Iñigo was an interesting free option, despite the fact that he was signed injured, and Vitor Roque a future bet of 30 million plus 31 in variables that he has not played a single minute in the Super Cup.
The Barça investment in signings last summer places the club in 70th place in the world ranking.
Less than Leeds and Basel
Barça’s total investment in improving the champion team is summarized in the 33.4 million from the summer market. Although it may seem insufficient, due to the economic volume and its translation to sporting results, it will remain there. There is no money for signings, the club’s top officials repeat.
Those 33.4 million would place Barça in 70th place in the world club ranking in transfer spending during the 23-24 season. Right between Atlético de Madrid (33.7 million) and Porto tied (33.4), and below the English Leeds United (35.9 million), which plays in the Championship, Basel (35.02), the Saudis Al Rayyan (34.56) and Al-Shabab (34.38) and Genoa ( 34.08), according to Transfermarkt data which, however, attributes to Barça a waste of 43.4 million considering that 40 million have already been paid for Vitor Roque.
Light years away from Chelsea
In that case, Barça would be in 55th place in the standings. Light years behind Chelsea (467.8 million), Paris Saint Germain (369.5), Al Hilal (353) from Saudi Arabia, the wasteful podium. Among the top 20 there are 11 English clubs and four Saudi ones, as well as two German clubs (Leipzig and Bayern), one Italian (Milan), the French PSG and Real Madrid (15th).
Barça’s investment rhythm has been deflating due to the purchasing loss. The most expensive signings were the first of the first winter (the 55 million from Ferran Torres, to improve a forward line made up of Ilias Akhomach, Abde, Ferran Jutglà and Luuk de Jong) and Raphinha (58 million) in the summer. The two substitutes or, at least, in shared ownership, without the prominence that would be expected from such an investment.
Chelsea has spent 1.2 billion since 2021, after the Champions League, for nothing.
PSG always second
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However, the volume of Barça’s spending with the 270.9 million spent since the summer of 2021 (260.9 with the correction of Vitor Roque, 246.4 attributable to the Xavi era) place the Barça entity in 18th place in spending on transfers. Behind Milan (270.68) and ahead of Olympique de Marseille (246.97).
Again, the unbeatable and loser Chelsea leading the table (1,200 million for nothing after winning the 2021 Champions League), practically double that of PSG (608 million to be champions in France alone) and six English clubs below, only one of which, Manchester City, has been three times. champion of the Premier and one of Europe.