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After months of protests, Josep Maria Bartomeu finally stepped down as the president of Barcelona. Elected into the office in 2014 following the resignation of Sandro Russel, Bartomeu brought renewed vigour to Barcelona as they dominated Spanish football for the majority of his tenure.
However, Bartomeu's policy of buying global superstars instead of developing players from the La Masia saw several of their promising youngsters moving out of the club. Bartomeu did bring in quality players that have helped Barcelona during his six-year tenure as the club president.
We look at 5 of Josep Bartomeu's best signings during his tenure as the club president.
#5 Paulinho
The Brazlian is of the most unexpected as well as underrated signings in Barcelona history. Paulinho arrived in Barcelona in 2017 after an impressive spell in the Chinese Super League with Guangzhou Evergrande.
Paulinho, who moved to China after a disastrous spell with Tottenham Hotspur, was one of the most surprising transfers of that season. The Brazilian was initially ridiculed by home and rivals fans alike after the transfer was officially announced.
The midfielder, though, proved his critics wrong. Paulinho had an instant impact on the Barcelona side and his physicality provided a different dimension to the Barcelona attack. He also came up with timely goals as Barcelona won the double under Ernesto Valverde.
Paulinho though was surprisingly sold back to Guangzhou a year later for a profit of €2 million. In his only season, the Brazilian made 49 appearances and scored nine goals for the club.
#4 Clement Lenglet
Clement Lenglet has arguably been one of the better defensive signings Barcelona have made in the last decade. The Frenchman caught the eye of the Blaugrana after an impressive spell with Sevilla.
Lenglet joined Barcelona in 2018 after the Spanish giants triggered a €35 million release clause in his contract. Samuel Umtiti's injury woes saw Lenglet quickly establish himself as the first-choice central defender along with Gerard Pique.
Lenglet has been one of the first-names on the teamsheet since his move. In the two years he has been at the club, the Frenchman has made 90 appearances and scored six goals. During this short period, he has also won the Spanish Super Cup and the La Liga.
#3 Ivan Rakitic
The Croatian international was on the receiving end of the ire of Barcelona fans towards the end of his Barcelona career. But that doesn't affect the midfielder's stature as one of the best signings made by Bartomeu during his tenure.
Ivan Rakitic arrived in Barcelona after completing a £15 million move from Sevilla in 2014, the same year Bartomeu took charge of the club. After initially struggling to break into the first team, the Croatian established himself as a regular in the starting XI.
The midfielder had an impressive debut season as Barcelona won the treble that year. He was one of the key players for the Blaugrana as they dominated the domestic circuit.
Rakitic spent six seasons at Camp Nou and only left the club this year. During his time at the club, the Croatian won 13 titles and made 310 appearances for the Blaugrana.
#2 Marc-Andre Ter Stegen
If there is one player in the present Barcelona team who could've broken into Pep Guardiola's dream team, it is Marc-Andre Ter Stegen. The German was another player who arrived at Barcelona the same year as Bartomeu, completing a €12 million move from Borussia Monchengladbach.
After initially playing as an understudy to Claudio Bravo, Ter Stegen became the first choice keeper for the club when the Chilean moved to Manchester City. The German has been irreplaceable ever since.
Apart from Lionel Messi, Ter Stegen has arguably been one of Barcelona's most consistent performers. At times, impressive displays from the German has helped Barcelona win crucial matches.
In six seasons, Ter Stegan has so far made 236 appearances and has won 12 titles with the Blaugrana.
#1 Luis Suarez
The third player in this list who arrived in the same year as Bartomeu, Luis Suarez completed a much-anticipated move to Barcelona in 2014. At Barcelona, the Uruguayan formed one of the greatest trios in the history of football, linking up with Lionel Messi and Neymar. Success for the team was imminent as the Blaugrana secured their second treble in the striker's debut season.
Suarez is arguably the greatest centre forward to play for Barcelona. The Uruguayan scored an impressive 198 goals in just 283 matches as the Catalan giants dominated Spanish football. However, Suarez was forced out of the club this season and joined Atletico Madrid.
The striker won thirteen trophies during his six seasons at Camp Nou. He also won the Pichichi in a time when Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi were in their primes. Suarez left Barcelona as their third-highest goalscorer despite playing there for just six seasons.
