Barca transfers: Analysing the ups and downs of last summer
The arrival of Pedri was very good, the arrival of Pjanic less so
With a week left to go in the 20-21 season, Barcelona’s present is already becoming the past. They have no hopes of the title and are playing a relegated team in Eibar. It’s time to take stock of what has happened this season and the transfer market beckons after that. Last summer was a disaster after the Lisbon thrashing. Barcelona had little time to act and signed Sergino Dest. The other arrivals were already agreed ahead of time, besides Miralem Pjanic, who has barely featured.
PEDRI
Pedri had been signed a year earlier from Las Palmas. Those who knew him there believed he would succeed at Camp Nou but nobody predicted such an immediate impact. He became a clear starter for Barca and has been a blessing this season. At 18, he is the only player in the squad to play in 37 league matches.
He has played 3,526 minutes across 52 games. He’s scored four goals and got six assists, but beyond numbers, he’s formed a great relationship with Leo Messi and his work with and without the ball has been key. What he has to improve next season is his finishing. While he’s never stood out as a goalscorer he does have to try to be more effective in that area.
TRINCAO
In Jan 2020 Barca paid 31m euros for Francisco Trincao, a young Portuguese forward shining at SC Braga. The end of the season made the Catalans hopeful as he played well. However at Barca he has faded out of the picture. He started well but missed clear chances but in 2021 has dropped off the radar. He may have the chance to play against Eibar, with three goals and two assists to his name in 1,264 minutes this season (41 games).
DEST
In a tough economic situation Barca still moved for Dest at right back. He’s young and it’s too soon to compare him to Dani Alves, but he has done well in the 3-5-2, more so than in the 4-3-3. He must keep working defensively. The line between success and failure can be very thin. He’s scored three goals and set up one in 2,729 minutes. At 20, the 43 games he’s played will stand him in good stead for personal and sporting growth.
PJANIC
The Bosnian arrived with Arthur heading the other way to Juventus. At 31 years old he should be at his peak but has barely featured. Nobody would have imagined he would play this little.
He only has 1,279 minutes under his belt, most of them in the early phases of the campaign. Not in the squad list for the cup final and he played four minutes against Celta after over two months without playing. His future is unknown. If Koeman stays, he’ll go but if Laporta changes coach he might get a second chance.
MATHEUS
He has a 300m euro release clause and has not yet been presented. That says it all. One day, we’ll have to find out why Barca paid seven million for him, plus three in variables, when he wasn’t even a starter at Palmeiras. Last season he was on loan at Valladolid and played three games. This year he’s only had 17 minutes. The 22 year old is still a virtual unknown, one of the most incomprehensible and mysterious signings of the club’s history.
