Friday 13 / September / 2024
MADRID: The departure of teenage Brazilian forward Vitor Roque on loan to Betis on Monday highlights the failure of FC Barcelona's dealings in the transfer market over the past 12 months.
It also shows why the club presided over by Joan Laporta appears to have little coherent plan other than going 'low cost' when it comes to strengthening their first team squad.
Roque arrived in the middle of last season as an apparent attempt by Barca to match Real Madrid's success with Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo, both of whom arrived young and developed into world-class players.
Roque cost 30 million euros, but neither Xavi Hernandez, nor Hansi Flick counted on him for the first team squad, and Barca's desperate financial conditions means they can't keep him as they need to free up his wages.
So instead of staying and developing slowly at the club as Vinicius and Rodrygo did at Real Madrid, Roque has joined Betis, where he may sink or swim, but if he does well, Betis have the option to sign him permanently.
Financial fair play limits are at their heart of all their recent decisions in the transfer market. A quick look at the arrivals in the summer of 2023 show that.
Barca signed Oriol Romeu from Girona for less than five million euros, bringing the experienced midfielder back to where he began his career.
Central defender Inigo Martinez arrived on a free transfer from Athletic Club Bilbao, and Ilkay Gundogan also arrived on a free transfer from Manchester City.
Joao Cancelo arrived on loan from Manchester City and Joao Felix was another loan signing from Atletico Madrid.
12 months later and Martinez is the only one of those players still at Barcelona. Romeu returned to Girona after losing his form, Roque has joined Betis, and Gundogan returned to Manchester City, with Barcelona desperate to get one of last season's best players off the books to help lower their wage bill.
Joao Felix's loan ended and there was little interest in his return after a campaign of more 'downs' than 'ups'.
Senegalese defender Mika Faye also arrived a year ago, spent a season with the B-team and has now joined Rennes.
Spain international Dani Olmo has arrived, but has so far not played a minute as the club still hasn't lowered their wage bill enough to include him in the squad. Olmo cut an irritated looking figure in the stands for Saturday's game at home to Athletic Club Bilbao.
The transfer window closes on August 31 and with just Olmo's arrival to date and Gundogan, Joao Felix, Cancelo and Romeu all leaving, Barca's squad looks thinner than ever.
They may bring in another signing, but it's obvious that the last 12 months have seen the club move backwards and a lot is going to depend on youngsters right now.
