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The wait to find out who would replace Quique Setien at the helm of the Nou Camp didn't last too long as Ronald Koeman was announced as the next Barcelona manager.
The Dutchman was a true Blaugrana legend as a player, having won honours aplenty and carving out his legacy in the iconic red and blue stripes and was part of Johan Cruyff's 'Dream Team'. Now, Koeman returns to the football cathedral to try and do so as a manager, and lead them back to their glory days.
Barcelona, as things stand, are in need of a large squad revamp. The current squad of players is an amalgamation of various managers' choices and bad decisions in the transfer market. There are a lot of players who could be considered deadwood and need to be moved on and replaced with young blood with the future in mind.
The Catalans' president Josep Maria Bartomeu confirmed that the changes in the side are inevitable, saying;
"I don’t to speak ill of anyone, I want to elevate the figure of these players, who have made the best club in the world. We have been winning trophies non-stop for 12 years. Now is the moment to start to say goodbye, with all the honours, to some of those players. The renewal of the squad will be as wide ranging as necessary so that the sporting project is a success."
Koeman has overseen his fair share of quality signings at most clubs he's worked for, and has purchased some players who have gone on to do create distinct and commendable legacies for themselves.
It is important to note that it would not be fair to give the Dutchman every ounce of credit for the transfers, given clubs' modern methods of scouting and identifying targets. Nonetheless, Koeman has been credited with some remarkable signings over the course of his managerial career.
Here, we take a look at five of the new Barcelona manager's best signings.
#5 Dusan Tadic | Southampton | €14m
When Ronald Koeman moved to Southampton in 2014, the Dutchman used his Eredivisie links to purchase Dusan Tadic from FC Twente for a mere €14m. The Serb was a staple for the Saints both during and after Koeman's departure from Southampton.
Tadic spent four years in the Premier League, a spell during which he scored 21 and assisted 30 goals. The 31-year-old moved back to the Eredivisie after his English endeavour when Ajax came calling for him. When he did eventually move, his career saw a turnaround of the highest order.
Tadic ripped apart defences at the tip of Ajax's attack as an unconventional forward and helped the Amsterdam club go until the semi-finals of the UCL in 2018/19. The former Saints man was absolutely lethal for his new club, and is likely to end his career playing for the Dutch champions. Koeman's first-ever Premier League signing proved to be an astute one.
#4 Toby Alderweireld | Southampton | Loan
Another signing with a connection to Koeman's former club Ajax, Toby Alderweireld was a player the Dutchman signed on loan while he was at Southampton. The then-unexperienced centre-half was brought in as part of Koeman's revamp of Southampton after agreeing a deal with an option to purchase with Atletico Madrid.
After a stellar season in the Premier League, Southampton wanted to complete an outright purchase of the Belgian. However, that wasn't possible as Atleti then sold Alderweireld to Tottenham Hotspur who offered more than double of what the Saints did to purchase him. Despite Southampton threatening to take legal action against Atleti, Spurs completed the signing.
Alderweireld went on to become one of the most experienced defensive stalwarts in the Premier League and is currently one of Spurs' most senior players. On his day, he is one of the best ball-playing defenders in the top-flight. The Belgian is just one short of playing his 150th league game for the North London club.
Also read: 5 Worst signings made by Barcelona under Josep Maria Bartomeu
#3 Ever Banega | Valencia | €18m
Ronald Koeman's time at Valencia is not looked back upon fondly by either club. The Dutchman spent just a year at the Mestalla and parted ways with the club after a disastrous season in Spain. However, if there was one memorable aspect of his time at Valencia, it was that of Banega's signing.
One of the most experienced midfield controllers in LaLiga Santander with over 300 league games under his belt, Ever Banega was signed by Valencia from Boca Juniors during Koeman's time at the club. The Argentine spent just under six years on the books of Los Che, including two loan spells to Atletico Madrid and Newell's Old Boys. He played over 130 league games for Valencia.
However, It was after his move to Sevilla from Valencia that truly unlocked the potential of the midfield maestro he is, and he been an indispensable figure for the Spanish club since then. Banega was at the heart of Unai Emery's 'three-peat' winning UEFA Europa League side. Although he is widely expected to join Al-Shabab Riyadh after Sevilla's season, he is 90 minutes away from registering his fourth UEL trophy. What a way to sign off it would be!
#2 Sadio Mane | Southampton | €23m
The third player on this list signed by Ronald Koeman in his first year at Southampton, Sadio mane is a player that needs little introduction. The Senegalese established himself as one of the most under-the-radar attackers in the league after quietly leaving a superb account of himself at St. Mary's.
Mane's arrival and departure from Southampton coincided with Koeman's stay at the club. During those two years, Mane was arguably one of the most elite players in the league outside the traditional big six clubs. He impressed with his scintillating displays for the Saints and etched his name into the history books after the fastest-ever hat-trick in the top-flight against Aston Villa in 2015. The winger scored thrice in two minutes and 56 seconds against the Villans in a 6-1 win.
The 28-year-old still remains the second-most expensive Saints purchase ever, and was eventually sold to Liverpool in 2016. Mane went on to win the Premier League, Golden Boot, UCL, FIFA Club World Cup, and a host of other honours with the Reds.
#1 Virgil van Dijk | Southampton | €15.70m
Who else but the world's best central defender was expected to top this list? Ronald Koeman was known to be one of the most devastatingly good centre-halves of his era, and while he was at the helm of St. Mary's, he sanctioned the purchase of his compatriot who also happened to be a centre-back — Virgil van Dijk.
The towering Dutchman spent two and a half years at Southampton, where he learnt the tricks of the trade in England. Van Dijk was then made the world's most expensive defender in football history when Liverpool came calling for his services in the winter of 2018, and the 29-year-old has never had to look back since.
The former Saints man has been nothing short of a 'Rolls Royce' defender for the Reds, providing a rock-solid base at the back for Liverpool to play their expansive brand of football. Van Dijk went from being a mid-table Premier League centre-half to arguably the best central defender on the planet after his breathtaking performances — and nothing is a more significant testament of that than his catalytic impact at Anfield.
The Dutchman was pivotal in Liverpool's capture of the Premier League, Champions League, and a host of other top honours. Van Dijk will retire as one of the best-ever players to play in England.
Also read: Most expensive footballers in the world in each position
