Football News: Barcelona Transfer Window Round Up

Image from: stadiumguide.com

This should have been a window with no ins at all for Barcelona this summer, as the club is under a transfer embargo. Instead they have managed to find players to buy who are happy to take the next 6 months off until the embargo ends and they can be registered for the club. It is difficult to believe there are more than a handful of other clubs in European football that could have got away with this sneaking around the punshment, but the Catalan team have managed to do so.

Luis Enrique already had the best front three in world football, possibly, probably even, of all time, in Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar Jr., assembled in controversial circumstances. So adding more players in equally controversial circumstances is just par for the course with Barca. Still, it makes little difference to the fact that Barcelona firing and on form are almost impossible to stop, with Andres Iniesta pulling the strings for that incredible front three.

Even a transfer embargo is not really going to have much of an effect on the forthcoming season. The only thing that is likely to stop Barca, apart from injuries and suspensions, is themselves. It will be up to Luis Enrique to keep them playing as a team.

The Outs:

Pedro moved to Chelsea for nearly £19m. The 28 year old Spanish international has always been stuck on the fringes for Barcelona, now is his chance to show he can be more than just an impact substitute. With the Euros coming up next year, he needs a good season.

Adama Traore has signed for Aston Villa for £7m. A coup for Villa as Traore is one of the Barca youth system's shining lights, but in the knowledge that it was achieved due to allowing a very favourable to Barcelona buyback clause to be inserted in the contract to buy him. The 19 year old winger has the power and pace to terrify Premier League defences.

Gerard Deulofeu has moved on to Everton for the princely sum of just over £4m. His previous loan season with the Toffeemen is the most successful of his career to date, it would probably have benefitted his career to return there a season ago. Last season will have to go down as a wasted year.

Denis Suarez has moved to Villarreal for under £3m, as the effects of Barca B's relegation are felt by the club needing to move on players that would otherwise have played for the B side.

Martin Montoya has joined Inter Milan on loan for a loan fee of about £700k. The Spanish right back has struggled to find his way into the Barca side, but, with Dani Alves ageing, he will have hope of eventually taking the right back role. In the meantime, this season he is hoping to get himself into the Spanish team with his loan to the Serie A side.

Xavi has left to join Al-Sadd of the Qatar Stars League on a free transfer. The 35 year old is a legend in Catalonia, and Qatar are hoping he can raise the profile of the game in the region ahead of the forthcoming Qatar World Cup.

Ibrahim Afellay has moved to England to sign for Premier League Stoke City. The 29 year old suffered an injury blighted time in Spain, following a big money move from Holland. The left midfielder will be hoping that this move will revitalise his career and return him to international prominence in time for the Euros.

Alex Song has returned to West Ham United for another loan spell, following mixed success with the East London club last season. Hammers fans will be hoping they get the Song of the early part of the season, rather than the Song of the second half of the season.

Alen Halilovic, the young Croatian starlet, has joined Sporting Gijon on loan. The interest in taking him on loan was huge, but Gijon could guarantee him first team football, unlike most of the potential clubs for him.

The ins, despite the signing embargo:

Arda Turan has made the decision to take a 6 month break from playing football after signing from Atletico Madrid for nearly £24m. Considering he was vocal in his moans that Atletico manager Diego Simeone made him run too much, he will probably appreciate the break he is getting.

Aleix Vidal has chosen to leave Sevilla for a fee of just under £12m. Will spending 6 months on the sidelines affect his recent progress? The right winger, who was being used mainly as a right back by Sevilla, is arriving with the hopes of pushing Dani Alves out of the right wing back role at Barca.

Will those two signings be enough to keep Barca on top of the tree this season? Being honest, it seems that they were not needed, neither are likely to play anything other than a bit part role, even when they can be registered. The attitude displayed by the pair, willing to forego six months of football, is worrying for a club like Barcelona's future ambitions.

Arda Turan has shown issues with his desire to leave a club due to being worked too hard, so his decision to sit out six months is not really a surprise. The strange thing is that he has chosen to join a team that is built on hard work by the players, by lots of running, both on and off the ball. It just seems an odd choice by both the player and the club itself to join forces.

Aleix Vidal is even more odd, though it does seem it was done purely because Barca feared losing Dani Alves at the end of his contract. Now he has signed a new one, Vidal could turn out to be a mistake. Either way, in the short term, it is hard to see anyone stopping Barcelona this season.

Written by Tris Burke September 08 2015 09:16:08