Turkish goalkeeper Rustu Recber didn't last long at Barcelona
#4: Alex Song
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Alex Song (left) never looked quite good enough for Barcelona
From a lot of reports, it wasn’t actually supposed to be him. When Barcelona came calling for a player who could play in both midfield and defence in the summer of 2012, they initially looked at signing Javi Martinez, then of Athletic Bilbao.
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But when they refused to pay his buyout clause (Bayern Munich did instead) they turned to another player supposedly of the same mold – Alex Song of Arsenal.
The Cameroon international had spent 7 seasons at Arsenal, but had really broken through into the first team in 2008/09, forming a formidable midfield partnership with Cesc Fabregas and contributing to a lot of the Gunners’ attacks.
By 2011/12 he’d practically stepped into Fabregas’ role, and chipped in with 12 assists in 46 appearances. But he never looked quite good enough for a side like Barcelona, which was why their move for him seemed to come from left field.
Unsurprisingly he didn’t go down too well – in midfield he just didn’t seem to fit in with Barca’s style, and when he appeared in their defence, he appeared to be somewhat of a liability. After starting just 15 games in his second season at the Nou Camp he was sold to West Ham – a side where he was clearly a much better fit.
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About the author
Scott Newman
Scott is a veteran MMA writer with over two decades of experience, including his ongoing tenure in Sportskeeda, which began seven years ago. He has written over 3000 pieces for the organization, while also covering football. Before joining Sportskeeda, Scott wrote articles for websites like The Oratory and Inside Pulse MMA.
Scott has a degree in history, which drives his research skills and helps him compile accurate information. His long stint in the field helps Scott provide a clear take on important topics, such as the criticism of promotions regarding fighter pay. While he feels fighters deserve a bigger revenue share, he doesn’t want MMA to suffer with purse-split issues.
Scott’s work has been previously reshared by the former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. He uses credible sources, such as the UFC’s official website, during the writing process.
His dedication to MMA writing won him the Feature Writer of the Month award for Sportskeeda in November 2021.
Outside of work, Scott likes to go to the gym, walk his dog, and travel.