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Due to their reckless spending of the past five seasons, Barcelona currently find themselves in financial ruins. The club are knee-deep into debt, despite shaving off a decent amount of wage bill with some big-name departures this summer. Newly-elected Joan Laporta is constantly working on getting Barcelona back on their feet, making some tough decisions to restore their monetary prowess.
Barcelona have made some sensible transfers
Compared to its predecessors, the 2021 transfer window was a stroke of genius for the Blaugrana, shipping off deadwood whilst bringing in quality players for bargain fees. Their free-of-cost acquisitions of Sergio Aguero, Eric Garcia and Memphis Depay have proven to be the saving grace of an otherwise disappointing Barcelona season.
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Under the erratic Josep Bartomeu, the Catalan giants also sanctioned the signings of Arthur Melo, Sergino Dest and Pedri, a long shot towards redeeming his gross misdemeanor. While Arthur was prematurely sold to Juventus to balance the books, Dest and Pedri continue to be the brightest talents in a promising Barcelona squad.
The sheer magnitude of their transferral blunders always tends to overshadow some astute pieces of business concocted by the club. Nevertheless, Barcelona have had their fair share of brilliant transfers without having to spend astronomical amounts of money. On that note, let's take a look at the five best bargain buys conducted by Barcelona:
#5 Jordi Alba - €14 million
Following Lionel Messi's departure, Jordi Alba was included as the last option among the four captains the club appoints every season. A product of the fabled La Masia, Alba has been a loyal servant to his boyhood club for more than nine years now and thoroughly deserves his inclusion on this list.
After receiving his footballing education from Barcelona's academy, Alba was let go by the club, subsequently joining Valencia's youth setup in 2007. The Spaniard continued to thrive with the Bats, honing his dribbling as well as defensive skills at Mestalla. A stunning Euro 2012 campaign caught the attention of his former employers, who wasted no time in bringing him back.
On 12th July 2012, Barcelona officially unveiled Alba as their latest recruit, solidifying their left flank for years to come, in the process. Alba has since racked up 392 appearances for the club, becoming an ever-present for the Blaugrana. Despite his recent slip-ups, Alba is easily one of the best bargain buys in Barcelona's history.
#4 Marc-Andre ter Stegen - €12 million
In an era where promising young goalkeepers are either too pricey or too hard to scout, Barcelona managed to orchestrate a coup when they acquired Marc-Andre ter Stegen. The Blaugrana procured the German shot-stopper in 2014 from Borussia Mönchengladbach for a minimal fee of €12 million.
Ter Stegen received heavy criticism in his initial days at Camp Nou for his error-prone nature. Claudio Bravo was still the first-choice keeper under Luis Enrique and as a result, the Germany international was often left on the bench to act as a backup. Nevertheless, Ter Stegen has come a long way since, improving by leaps and bounds in subsequent years.
He is now considered to be one of the best shot-stoppers around, famous for his ability to cover near-impossible regions of the goal. At 29, Ter Stegen is still pretty young in goalkeeping terms and is expected to continue at the topmost level for years to come at Barcelona.
Also read: Barcelona vs Real Madrid: Ranking the 5 greatest goalkeepers in El Clasico history
#3 Luis Enrique - free transfer
Despite appearing in more than 200 games for Real Madrid, Luis Enrique is considered a bonafide Barcelona legend for his invaluable contributions to the club. Having played for five seasons at the Bernabeu, Enrique jumped ship in 1996, joining Barcelona on a free transfer.
Primarily a right midfielder, the Spaniard's versatile nature allowed him to thrive in various positions, including central midfield, right-back, right wing and more. Enrique proved to be much more prolific at Camp Nou, scoring a whopping 108 goals in 300 appearances for Barcelona.
The reliable midfielder was eventually named club captain for his services, a post which he occupied until his retirement in 2004. "Lucho" solidified his legacy at Barcelona even further when he returned to Catalonia in 2014 as manager, winning them the continental treble in his debut season.
#2 Laszlo Kubala - free transfer
Another Barcelona legend of the past, Laszlo Kubala was arguably the first superstar that the Blaugrana harbored, preceding Johan Cruyff, Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi. His stardom in the 1950s was practically unmatched, with a hoard of clubs vying for his signature.
Real Madrid came really close to poaching him out of the hands of Hungaria, a team that Kubala had formed with Ferdinand Daučík as coach, comprising other refugees. However, due to Josep Samitier's intervention, Barcelona were able to secure Kubala's signature in the final hour, without having to pay any additional costs.
As expected, the Hungarian forward absolutely turned things around for Barcelona, propelling them to four La Liga titles on the back of his individual brilliance. His 144 goals for the club, among other irreplaceable contributions, have cemented his place in Barcelona folklore forever.
#1 Gerard Pique - €5 million
A complete no-brainer, Gerard Pique has to finish in top spot on this list. The Spaniard's Barcelona career is one for the legends, with Pique helping his boyhood club to a whopping 30 titles in the span of 13 years.
However, the World Cup winner could have experienced a completely different career trajectory, following his €5.25 million move to Manchester United. In 2004, Barcelona sanctioned the sale of one of the most promising prodigies La Masia had ever produced, without testing him even once.
Pep Guardiola's arrival in the Barcelona dugout in 2008 signaled a new era for homegrown talents. Following four years and four titles with the Red Devils, Pique returned to Camp Nou for a nominal fee of €5 million. He has since established his place among the most adored Barcelona legends, making 577 appearances in 13 seasons. Undoubtedly the best bargain buy initiated by Barcelona, ever.
Also read: 5 players Barcelona should have never sold
