5 of the most shocking Barcelona transfers in history

New Barcelona Signing Kevin-Prince Boateng Unveiled
New Barcelona Signing Kevin-Prince Boateng Unveiled

#4 Thomas Vermaelen

Vermaelen has continued his injury-prone ways at the Camp Nou
Vermaelen has continued his injury-prone ways at the Camp Nou

Despite proving himself to be an extremely useful and reliable defender at Arsenal for many years, going on to even captain the London Club, Thomas Vermaelen was plagued by multiple injuries towards the end of his Arsenal spell and as such lost his first-team spot at the club.

On his day, the Belgian international is a fine defender in his own right, possessing strength, aerial ability and a multi-functionality that enables him to play anywhere across the backline. But his loss of pace and proneness to injuries meant that anyone signing him was always taking a big gamble.

It was a £15 million chance which Barcelona took in the summer of 2014 and it is one which has backfired spectacularly, as the 33-year-old has done nothing of note in his five-year stay at the Nou Camp.

He was loaned out to Roma ahead of the 2016/2017 season making just 12 appearances for the Italian outfit, while he has turned out just 49 times in Barcelona colours in an injury-plagued stay in Catalunya.

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