5 big-money signings that failed at Barcelona

#3 Ousmane Dembele

The injuries keep coming for the attacker

Barcelona signed Ousmane Dembele in the summer of 2017 as a replacement for Neymar. Fresh from receiving a massive €222 million from the sale of the Brazilian, the Blaugrana splashed almost half of the funds to lure the Frenchman from Borussia Dortmund. His transfer cost the club €105 million.

All eyes were on Dembele to bring some life to Barcelona's attack following his big-money transfer. Unfortunately, the winger has spent more time on the doctor's table than he has on the pitch since making the switch to the Camp Nou.

Barcelona have announced that Ousmane Dembélé has suffered an injury to his right hamstring.He will be out of action for the foreseeable. That kid is so unlucky with injuries. 🤕 pic.twitter.com/ggHfyLPM3B

— Football Tweet (@Football__Tweet) December 6, 2020

The Frenchman has suffered a massive 12 injury setbacks in just four years, spending a total of 658 days on the sidelines and missing a whopping 95 games in the process. In 118 appearances for Barcelona so far, Dembele has bagged 30 goals and 21 assists. He is currently nursing a hamstring injury that will keep him out of action until mid-October.

---

#2 Diego Maradona

The Argentine had a spell to forget at Barcelona

Diego Maradona was transferred to Barcelona in a world-record deal worth €7.2 million in 1982. Despite being one of the greatest players in history, the Argentine couldn't live up to his potential due to several discipline-related issues and was offloaded to Napoli just two years later.

As then Barcelona president Josep Lluis Nunez put it, the attacking midfielder didn't fit in at Camp Nou because he couldn't live up to the image of the club.

#OnThisDay June 4, 1982Thirty-nine years ago today, Diego #Maradona signed with FC Barcelona (📸 H. Seguí). pic.twitter.com/5zCjshY8c3

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) June 4, 2021

Maradona's stint at in the Catalan capital was marked by a bout of hepatitis, a little success, fights, a long injury, a near-riot and ultimately, the discovery of cocaine. He bagged 33 goals and 18 assists for the club and also won three trophies, but his infamous record overshadowed his achievements. The Argentine was later sold to Napoli in 1984.

---

#1 Philippe Coutinho

The Brazilian has been a shadow of himself at Barcelona

Philippe Coutinho became the most expensive signing in Barcelona's history when he left Liverpool to complete a mega €160 million switch to Camp Nou in January 2018.

To whom much is given, much is expected. The Brazilian landed in the Catalan capital with huge expectations on his shoulder. He got off to a promising start, bagging nine goals and six assists in the second half of the 2017/2018 campaign, but that is the only good thing that has happened to him in the Blaugrana's shirt so far.

Coutinho spent his first full season at Barcelona struggling to find his feet. He was loaned to Bayern Munich in the subsequent campaign and returned to the Camp Nou ahead of last season. The playmaker suffered a long-term injury just a few games into the term and just returned to training last month. The Blaugrana are reportedly looking to cut their losses by offloading him this summer.