FC Barcelona’s Corner: 2010-11 Transfer Round-up

Finally the transfer season is over. Spanish Champions FC Barcelona has been fairly active in 2010 summer transfer window. Not only have they signed quite a few exceptional athletes, but also allowed some to leave the hallowed Nou Camp. The exodus includes one of FC Barcelona’s most expensive signings of recent times – Zlatan Ibrahimovic. While in our Transfer Watch article, we had covered all the initial summer transfers in details; here goes the final round-up involving all the late signings.

Confirmed Player Transfers:

ARRIVALS:

1. Javier Mascherano (From Liverpool):
The Argentine captain wasn’t as much in Liverpool’s plan of things, as he used to be, during Rafael Benitez’s tenure. Bought at €21 million, Mascha signed a 4-year contract for FC Barcelona with a buy-out clause of €90 million. After the departure of gigantic Ivorian – Yaya Toure, FC Barcelona lost some of their physical presence in the midfield. Mascha is probably the most suitable replacement, albeit both are quite different in their approach. With as many as three World Cup winners playing in his position, it’ll be a bit challenging for him to break into the starting XI. Nonetheless, a player of his quality will surely not be on bench for long. El Jefecito will don the number 14 for FC Barcelona after it was left vacant by Thierry Henry.

DEPARTURES:

1. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (To AC Milan):
Undoubtedly this is one of the most significant transfers of 2010-11. The towering Swede came to Barcelona at the beginning of the 2009-10 season from Italian Champions Internazionale for a whopping €66 million. This deal actually included star striker Samuel Eto’o (valued at €20 million) + €46 million. Ibra began well and went on to score his first goal against Sporting Gijon. During the first half of the season the Swede did exceptionally well, but things started deteriorating during the second half. Yet the striker did manage to bag 20 goals in 41 appearances last season, but Zlatan and Pep Guardiola reportedly didn’t get along well. Finally Adriano Galliani managed to secure the unsettled Swede’s signature for a year-long loan deal with an option to purchase him from the Catalan club by the end of the year for €24 million.

2. Alyaksandr Hleb (To Birmingham):
The Belarusian signed for the Spanish champions in 2008 for a transfer fee of around €17 million . Getting ahead of the Spanish duo – Xavi & Iniesta, proved to be an uphill task for the former Arsenal man. He managed 36 appearances for FC Barcelona in 2008-09 and was finally loaned out to German side VFB Stuttgart for the 2009-10 season. He returned back to Barcelona, where he was deemed surplus to current requirements and subsequently again loaned out to Premier League club Birmingham for the rest of the 2010-11 season. This move marks his return to England, where he was once an integral part of Arsen Wenger’s squad.

3. Martín Cáceres (To Sevilla):
The Uruguayan International was bought from Villareal in 2008 with a reported transfer fee of around €16.5 million. During his first season at FC Barcelona, Cáceres found it difficult to get into the first team – both due to injury and the availability of quality defenders in Carles Puyol, Marquez and Gerard Pique in his position. Although he was a part of the historic Treble Winning squad, still the Uruguayan could manage only 13 appearances. Later in 2009 he was loaned out to Italian powerhouse – Juventus, where he began well, but ended up with yet another injury which cut his season short. After a season-long loan with The Old Lady, Cáceres too was deemed surplus to requirements at Nou Camp despite the fact that there’s no Marquez this time. Argentine centre-half, Gaby Milito, has recuperated well from a long term injury. Subsequently, the Uruguayan World Cupper has moved to Sevilla on yet another year-long loan with an option to be purchased at €5 million.

4. Henrique Adriano Buss (To Racing Santander):
The promising Brazilian defender was bought from Palmeiras in 2008 for a transfer fee reported to be in the region of €8 million. No sooner did he arrive, than he was loaned out to Bayer Leverkusen to gain important first team experience. After his return to FC Barcelona he was again loaned out to Racing Santander on a two-year long loan deal.

Spanish shot-stopper Álex Sánchez Benítez & Nigerian forward Elvis Onyema Ogude also left the club. The former made a permanent move (free transfer) to Real Zaragoza and the latter is on loan to Spanish second division side Recreativo de Huelva.

With the closure of this edition’s summer transfer window, the rumours will stop doing the rounds until the winter window opens. The Spanish league has already begun and FC Barcelona has done their job well away at El Sardinero. Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique (Barca B Coach) have a great understanding and it is expected that a few of the most talented La Masia products may be handed their first team debut this season.

Transfer Summary: