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#3 Andre Gomes (£33.3m from Valencia)
The sad tale of this very talented midfielder highlights Barca’s obsession with replacing Xavi (an almost impossible task).
Arriving in 2016 from Valencia, Gomes was/is a Kaka-like player whose game was built on moving the ball quickly, looking for spaces to exploit and shooting from distance. Being asked to become a Xavi-like controller/regista was always going to be a tough ask.
Under the bright lights of the Camp Nou, Gomes has shown his quality in fits and starts.
Under former manager Luis Enrique, Gomes struggled badly. Fans that had been spoiled by the majestic performances of midfield maestros like Xavi, Andreas Iniesta and to a lesser extent; Thiago Alcantara was less than impressed by the gangling ex-Valencia player’s displays.
Lacking confidence and often used in a variety of positions that did not fit in with his specific skill set, Gomes alongside former Valencia teammate Paco Alcacer have always looked out of a place in a Barca team that has not played to their strengths.
He has reportedly cleared out his locker as he is desperate to leave and with the club also desperate to sell, this inconvenient marriage seems to have reached its inevitable end.
