Alex Song is still playing after spending some time out in the widerness

5 former Barcelona players you won't believe are still playing

Modified Sep 30, 2021 12:05 GMT

#3 Alex Song (AS Arta/Solar7)

Song flopped hard at Barcelona

Following a creatively stellar 2011-12 season with Arsenal that saw him produce 14 assists, Alex Song was snapped up by Barcelona for a sizeable fee of €19 million. Playing in a double pivot role alongside Mikel Arteta, Song enjoyed full freedom in a dynamic Arsenal midfield, enabling him to create so frequently.

This compelled Barcelona to sign the Cameroon international in 2012. Given his supposedly versatile nature, Song was expected to relieve some pressure on mainstay Sergio Busquets, as well as provide additional creativity for the team. However, Song failed miserably in terms of finding his footing at Camp Nou.

Goal

@goal

"I didn't give a sh*t" 🙄

Former Arsenal midfielder Alex Song has admitted he only joined Barcelona for the money 🤑

He was subsequently sent out on successive loans to West Ham United between 2014-2016. Failing to impress during his exile to the Premier League, Barcelona finally released Song in 2016. After a string of disappointing spells in Russia and Switzerland, the defensive midfielder spent most of 2020 without a club. The 34-year-old is now contracted to Djiboutian outfit AS Arta/Solar7.

#2 Dmytro Chygrynskiy (Ionikos Nikeas)

Dmytro Chygrynskiy (right) playing against Arsenal

Three impressive showings against his future employers in the 2008-09 season were enough to convince Barcelona head coach Pep Guardiola to poach Dmytro Chygrynskiy from Shakhtar Donetsk. The Catalan tactician had become a huge fan of the Ukranian's work at the back and forked out a whopping €25 million to secure his services.

The long-haired centre-back was a mainstay in an exciting Shakhtar side before his switch to Spain. However, he turned out to be equally abysmal in his solitary season with Barcelona. After just 14 lackluster appearances with Blaugrana, then-president Sandro Rosell decided to send him back to Ukraine, against Guardiola's wishes.

Freshwater

@freshwater_AG

*Psiquiatra: Chygrynskiy Jesucristo no existe. Es solo tu imaginación

*El Chygrynskiy Jesucristo:

After the failure of his dream transfer, Chygrynskiy could never display the kind of form that had compelled Barcelona to sign him in the first place. Two sub-par stints at Dnipro and AEK Athens followed, and Chygrynskiy is now with Greek outfit Ionikos Nikeas having signed for them earlier this month.

#1 Jeffren Suarez (Lamphun Warrior)

Jeffren played for Spain's youth teams before switching national allegiances

Not only has Jeffren failed miserably to reach his initial potential, but has fallen to the bottom of the footballing ladder. Scorer of the final goal in Barcelona's fabled 5-0 drubbing of Real Madrid, the Venezuela international is now slumming out in the second tier of Thai football for Lamphun Warrior.

Coming through the ranks at La Masia, Jeffren was held in high regard by the Barcelona hierarchy back then. He was awarded the No.11 jersey in the 2010-11 season in an attempt to incorporate the youngster into the first team.

Thai League Central

@TL_Central

BREAKING: Former Barcelona attacking midfielder Jeffren Suarez is set to join T2 side Lamphun Warriors. The 33-year-old Venezuelan was part of Barca’s La Liga winning squad under Pep Guardiola in 2009 and 2010. He joins from UAE side Al Dhaid.

However, that season proved to be his final one in Catalonia, as the erratic forward was offloaded to Sporting CP in 2011. Jeffren's career path became that of a nomad following this transfer, taking him from the riches of La Liga to the obscurities of Switzerland, Cyprus, UAE and now Thailand. At 33, the once-promising youngster is now a washed-up striker in Thai League 2.

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Edited by
Nived Zenith