Barcelona are set to complete the signing of Paulinho from Guangzhou Evergrande, the club confirmed in an official announcement.
Barcelona have confirmed that they have reached an agreement with Guangzhou Evergrande to complete the signing of Brazilian midfielder Paulinho in a €40 million deal. Following the official announcement, some stats make for promising reading for Barcelona fans.
Paulinho Bezerra, FC Barcelona’s new signing https://t.co/TGWrKjWkfG
??? Welcome, Paulinho!
?? #BeBarça #ForçaBarça pic.twitter.com/DoqmRFpunu
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) August 14, 2017
Paulinho for Brazil under Tite:
9 games ?
9 starts ▶️
5 yellow cards ⚠️
4 goals ⚽️
3 assists ?️
1 hat-trickThriving in that team. ?? pic.twitter.com/kcsUVXed42
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) August 14, 2017
25 – Only Coutinho (27) completed more shots on target that Paulinho (25) in the 2013/2014 Premier League for a Brasilian player. Barça pic.twitter.com/O7EbmTLYRK
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) August 14, 2017
Paulinho played 4,461 league minutes out of a possible 4,700 in the past two seasons at Guangzhou.
14 goals ⚽️
4 assists ?️ pic.twitter.com/dAOvptUPnn— Squawka Football (@Squawka) August 14, 2017
As is the case with most high profile transfers though, the trolls were out in full force following the announcement, with many pointing towards the Brazilian’s failed spell at Tottenham:
Barcelona when they were supposed to sign Seri, Dembélé and Coutinho but they announce Paulinho pic.twitter.com/WWsRpUgtHr
— Fútbol Maha (@FutbolMaha_) August 14, 2017
Is Paulinho Barcelona’s newest Alex Song?
— Lucas Navarrete (@LucasNavarreteM) August 14, 2017
Paulinho:
March 2017 – Voted the worst ever player at Tottenham
August 2017 – Signs for Barcelona for €40m.pic.twitter.com/kY7D8Z9vMx
— George Tunez ? (@TheGeorgeTunez) August 14, 2017
Paulinho, what a signing from Barcelona pic.twitter.com/afZuRyaOXi
— Zeus (@KeylorinhoZZ) August 14, 2017
Barcelona’s new signing #Paulinho pic.twitter.com/shU7H01Prk
— Juan Direction (@JuanDirection58) August 14, 2017
Paulinho Jr.
Goals, skills and assists?
Welcome to Barcelona⚽️
RTs and shoutouts appreciated?#Barca pic.twitter.com/8xEqn7BesX— ® (@Knxckaert) August 14, 2017
BREAKING: Barcelona sign former Spurs midfielder Paulinho for €40m. ?
Making him the club’s 4th most expensive signing of all-time. ? pic.twitter.com/WnErptKhpW
— SPORF (@Sporf) August 14, 2017
Barcelona sell Neymar and the first player they sign is 29 yo Paulinho, that’s like trading the Ferrari in for a metro with no wheels ?
— RILEY (@lfc_riley) August 14, 2017
Imagine getting beat by your rivals and then signing Paulinho in the space of 24 hours? Barcelona entering a banter era.
— Chief Col (@ColinCurran_) August 14, 2017
This is why #Barcelona‘s board decided to sign #Paulinho ??? pic.twitter.com/h4y0Bxbcni
— Witty Futty (@WittyFutty) August 14, 2017
Asensio 3.5M
Ceballos 16.5M
Kroos 25M
Kovacic 30M
Modric 30M
Isco 30MPaulinho 40M pic.twitter.com/P3ZlSpC33B
— Salim (@Nexlizz) August 14, 2017
There was no pleasing Barcelona fans either, many of whom voiced their displeasure following the official announcement:
We only have a few years left of Messi. And Bartomeu is destroying that signing garbage players like Paulinho. #BartomeuDimiteYa pic.twitter.com/nNLkcnncI4
— Leo Messi (@messi10stats) August 14, 2017
When we start the season with Rakitic-Paulinho-Gomes pic.twitter.com/AwAul6KHYW
— mx (@BUSQXETS2) August 14, 2017
Waking up to Paulinho signing had me like pic.twitter.com/syKDAIbIMA
— beej (@FCBeej) August 14, 2017
Bartomeu has spent over 140M€ on signings like Song, Vermaelen, Mathieu, Douglas, Gomes and Paulinho!#BartomeuDimiteYA
— G. De ara Torres (@dearatorres) August 14, 2017
Paulinho in, Samper out.
Pep Segura is laughing. Our spirit fades away.
— Lucas R. (@lucasammr) August 14, 2017
On the same day Paulinho comes, the club tells Samper he won’t be a first team player.
This board will crumble us to dust.
— Lucas R. (@lucasammr) August 14, 2017
Imagine going through La Masia. Rondos every day for 10 years. Looking at posters of Xavi and Cruyff for inspiration then they sign Paulinho
— -__- (@krn_brk) August 14, 2017
Clauses libératoires au Barça :
Arda 1⃣2⃣5⃣
Paulinho 1⃣2⃣0⃣
Vermaelen 8⃣0⃣
➖
Umtiti 6⃣0⃣
Denis Suárez 5⃣0⃣
S. Roberto 4⃣0⃣¯\_(ツ)_/¯
— Bilou (@BilouFCB) August 14, 2017
15 days until the transfer window shuts: Vermaelen, Munir, Douglas, & Turan are still Barcelona players. Barca also signing Paulinho…. pic.twitter.com/p5KggkGmp2
— El Máestro (@ElMaestrofcb) August 14, 2017
If you all thought that was bad, brace yourselves. Favela asshole Paulinho is arriving soon. This club is finished.
— #14 (@LaCroqueta6) August 13, 2017
There were a few, though, who approached the news with positivity, hoping for nothing but the best from the new arrival:
I wish Paulinho nothing but the best, fingers crossed he proves everyone wrong (again).
— Brazil Football ?? (@BrazilEdition) August 14, 2017
WELCOME PAULINHO ! pic.twitter.com/CRsuZA2Skq
— Barca Galaxy (@barcagalaxy) August 14, 2017
Don’t worry guys, Paulinho is coming.
In our style we believe.
— #BartomeuDimiteYa (@jperkovic93) August 13, 2017
Ivan Rakitić (29): signed from Sevilla for £16.2m at 26 after picking up the MoM in the EL final.
Paulinho (29): CSL winner signed for £36M
— Sameer (@Sameer_R13) August 13, 2017