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Barcelona aren't very well known for their shrewd transfer market acumen, and for good reason. Barring a few incredible and rather expensive transfers, the past few seasons have been, to an extent, a failure for the club in the transfer market.
While there have been a few excellent signings - Samuel Umtiti, Ter Stegen and Nelson Semedo to name a few - a large percentage of Barcelona's transfers have either failed immediately or fizzled out.
Be it the failure to sign Kylian Mbappe or Barcelona's unending pursuit of Philippe Coutinho, the club's board seem toothless when it comes to signing world-class players.
The past month, however, has yielded some good news. Former player and youth product Thiago Alcantara has left the door open to joining his boyhood club. Let's have a look at a few reasons why the Barcelona board should prioritise his return to the Camp Nou:
#5 Return of a fan favourite
Barcelona, in the recent past, have been accused of discarding several of their promising youth products without sufficient cause. Prospects from La Masia are either poached by other clubs, or are loaned out to spend the season on the bench in other leagues, doing neither the club, nor the players any good.
Luis Suarez and Ivan Rakitic have been successful in their own right and have won the love and respect of the fanbase, but there is a general feeling among Cules that the club has neglected their famed academy. There was a time in the not so distant past when the first team was made up almost entirely of La Masia players.
The return of Thiago might help allay some of the fans' fears, to a slight extent. When asked about his future, Thiago said, "Barcelona will always be my home, not just because I love the club, but also the city. You never know if I will return because I am really happy at Bayern, but football changes a lot. Anything can happen."
Negotiating a return to the Camp Nou will not be an easy task, with Thiago contracted to Bayern Munich till 2021. However, with the midfielder's recent comments, fans of the club will hope for the Spaniard's arrival as soon as possible.
#4 An outlet for goals from distance
This season, despite what some fans may say to the contrary, Barcelona have been overly reliant on Lionel Messi. The talismanic Argentine has scored 12 and assisted 3 of Barcelona's 30 goals in 11 league games so far, and while the man himself shows no signs of stopping his own personal goal fest, the team's inherent Messi-dependence does not augur well for the future of the club.
It is not that Barcelona are lacking in quality. With Rakitic, Iniesta, Busquets and a surprisingly solid defence, the club have outdone themselves this season. The chances created and goals, however, seem to come only from one man.
Thiago is a player who can help solve that problem to a considerable extent. While he doesn't score goals in heaps, the midfielder is more than capable of taking shots from outside the box, and hits the target quite often. Thiago is also capable of good link-up play with Messi, with the Argentine constantly looking for disruptive runs from the midfield.
Thiago Alcantara averaged a goal every 4 games or so for Bayern last season, and has scored a goal in his 3 starts for the German club this season as well. With the likes of Messi and Iniesta around at Barcelona, Thiago's goal tally is sure to improve if he returns to the Catalan club.
#3 Creativity and directness in midfield
One of Thiago's most endearing qualities is his ability to make things happen when they are least expected. The Spaniard brings a sense of drive to every team he plays in, urging players forward with his incisive passing.
Ivan Rakitic hasn't been at his best this season, barring his most recent game against former club Sevilla. While it would be unwise to count him out so early in the season, the fact remains that the Croatian playmaker isn't getting any younger.
Andre Gomes has also lost most of the support of the fans after a shaky start to the season. Denis Suarez has been promising when played, but can also play in the front 3.
Paulinho has exceeded expectations, but does not give the club the control in midfield that they are so used to. Barcelona are definitely in the market for a creative midfielder, and Thiago Alcantara seems to fit the bill perfectly.
The 26-year-old could, therefore, be the answer to all of Barcelona's midfield problems. Playing alongside his idol Iniesta and behind Messi, Thiago could be a real force to reckon with in a Barcelona shirt.
#2 Heir apparent to Iniesta and Xavi
Thiago left Barcelona in the summer of 2013 for Bayern Munich, citing that a lack of playing time was hurting his career. Barcelona had signed Cesc Fabregas from Arsenal in the previous season, and with Andres Iniesta and Xavi already present in midfield, the chances of holding down a regular starting place looked bleak for Thiago.
Fabregas was widely considered the leader of the next generation of Barcelona's midfielders. While he did do well on occasion, the former Arsenal man failed to meet expectations and often went missing in big away games, costing the club their chances for major trophies. Fabregas has since moved back to London and now plays for Premier League side Chelsea.
Barcelona's midfield roles are now ripe for the taking, with the club's midfield maestro Andres Iniesta not getting any younger. Iniesta has put in some excellent performances this season, but is unable to sustain his brilliance for long periods of time.
Thiago, himself, has often been likened to both Iniesta and Xavi, displaying the ability to dribble past opponents and create chances as well as control the tempo of the game and play as a midfield metronome, as Xavi once did. At only 26, Thiago will also have plenty of time to grow into his role and attain his peak at Barcelona.
#1 Product of La Masia
Barcelona have been linked with several players in the past few months, and while some of these rumours are only passing clouds, the others have lingered for a substantial amount of time. According to reports, the club has, in the recent past, shown interest in players like Philippe Coutinho, Antoine Griezmann, Leon Goretzka and Anthony Martial among others.
Thiago may not be able to match all of these players in terms of goalscoring ability and quality, but his primary advantage over the rest of the pack is the fact that he is sure to fit into the team seamlessly, being a product of the club's famed academy.
While Cesc Fabregas did have a difficult time at the club, ardent fans of the club will remember that he too adjusted almost immediately to his role, forming an almost telepathic relationship with his childhood friend Messi.
There may not be any guarantees of Thiago's success if he is to join the club, but past experience has made it clear that the La Masia DNA stays with youth prospects of the academy and aids them upon their return to the club.
The presence of his younger brother Rafinha, who is also a La Masia product, will also make adjusting to life at the Camp Nou a little easier for Thiago. While a transfer in the immediate future will undoubtedly be a nearly impossible task for Barcelona, the club would do well to bring the midfielder back at some point in the future.
If the player refuses to rule out a return to his boyhood club, why should FC Barcelona?
