Joan Laporta is back at Barcelona after a decade of hiatus and he has already started his second revolution at the club. Even when the club is going through a huge financial crisis, the President is working on getting some big-name players to the club and fans are excited to see whom the new president will bring in.
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While it is almost borderline unrealistic for some that the Blaugrana are linked with players such as Erling Haaland and Neymar, real Catalan fans will know exactly the power of Laporta’s influence.
If anyone can bring Barcelona back to their former glory days, it is Laporta after all, he is the one who secured the likes of Ronaldinho, Samuel Eto’o, etc.
With the situations looking eerily similar, now would be a good time to look at Laporta’s former signings. He is a person known for making these sorts of transfers thus, let’s have a look at the top ten signings he made for Barcelona in his previous reign from 2003 to 2010, where the Spanish side enjoyed tremedous success particularly under former manager, Pep Guardiola.
#10 Eric Abidal (Position: Left-Back | In Barcelona: 2007-2013)
The French defender was brought in from Lyon in 2007. His arrival at the Camp Nou strengthened the left side of the defense immensely and his versatile nature allowed him to play as a center-back as well at times. The physically strong and experienced defender was more conventional than Jordi Alba and thus was not as exciting to watch as his successor. However, his solid form was exactly what the Catalans needed at that time and he went on to win two UEFA Champions League and four La Liga titles with the club. He was one of the best left-backs for the Catalan Kings and he ended playing 193 games for the club.
#9 Yaya Toure (Position: Midfield | In Barcelona: 2007-2010)
2007 was a busy season for Laporta as Abidal was not the only big-name player he managed to bring in. He also acquired the services of the legendary central-midfielder, Yaya Toure. The Ivory Coast player was brought in from Monaco and he went on to play 118 matches for the Catalan side and even won a UEFA Champions League trophy with them. However, his true form was not unearthed in Barcelona and Pep Guardiola did not find a place to play him in his system.
The midfielder went on to become a Manchester City legend after joining the English side in 2010, only three years after joining the Catalans. While people might call him a flop transfer, he was just not suited for the Guardiola style and he faced the same problem when the Spanish mastermind joined the Citizens.
#8 Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Position: Forward | In Barcelona: 2009-2011)
Another player just like Toure who was a big name transfer but did not experience much success with the Catalans was Zlatan Ibrahimovic. A giant personality in the footballing world and one who is often compared to the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo was supposed to a perfect number nine for the Blaugrana however, it just did not work out.
He played only one season with the Catalans and although he had a pretty good season, conflicts with Guardiola and Messi meant that he was on his way out the next season. He could have been a fantastic number nine for the team and he scored 22 goals in 46 appearances for the club however, his attitude problem along with problems with the manager, capped his career at Barcelona.
#7 David Villa (Position: Forward | In Barcelona: 2010-2013)
One of the last signings that Laporta made before leaving was the one of David Villa from Valencia. The center forward was picked up from Valencia after a few good seasons with them and he kept his form going at Barcelona. The player ended up playing with the team for three years and made almost 120 appearances for the club. In that time he managed to amass almost 50 goals and had over 20 assists.
He might not have been the most revolutionary player at Camp Nou but he was definitely one of the most talented ones in the squad. Barcelona enjoyed his services from 2010 to 2013 after which he left for Atletico Madrid and was replaced by another legend, Luis Suarez.
#6 Thierry Henry (Position: Forward | In Barcelona: 2007-2010)
Another megastar who was secured by Joan Laporta was Thierry Henry. The player is considered a football legend all around the world and bringing him to Barcelona was no easy task but one which Laporta succeeded in performing. The French World Cup winner was not as good as he used to be back at Arsenal but he was no slouch either.
He ended up winning the famous 2008-09 UEFA Champions League with Barcelona and even managed to win two La Ligas. He scored 49 goals and provided 27 assists in his time at Catalonia and he will forever remain as a Barcelona and Arsenal legend. He was recently inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame alongside Alan Shearer.
#5 Deco (Position: Midfield | In Barcelona: 2004-2008)
A phenomenal player at Porto who helped them win the UEFA Champions League in 2004, joined the Catalans in 2005 to help them end their trophyless run. Deco was named the UEFA midfielder of the year as well next year when he won the Champion league yet again. The midfielder was one of a kind player with high versatility, high work rate, and insane creativity. His first season exploits also got him a second-place finish in the coveted Ballon d’Or award ceremony.
His 161 appearances for Barcelona proved what an important player he was and his relationship with Ronaldinho helped the Catalans win a lot of trophies. His exit from the club was not as ceremonious as he would have liked it to be but Barca let him go at the right time as his next endeavor, with Chelsea, was mostly a flop as age had got to his natural talent and he was no longer fit to play at the top level.
#4 Samuel Eto’o (Position: Forward | In Barcelona: 2004-2009)
Samuel Eto’o was brought into the club by Laporta in the year 2004. His five-year journey with the club earned him a multitude of trophies as well as a legacy that cannot be broken to this day. While he is most known for his historic consecutive trebles with two different clubs, his exploits at Barcelona make him a Catalan legend as well.
His incredible 130 goals in 199 matches for the Blaugrana helped him win three La Liga titles as well as two Champions League titles. He was sold to Inter Milan after a fantastic 2008-09 season in what was a rather controversial move. However, his impact at Camp Nou will never be forgotten and he has been cemented as one of the greatest strikers in the history of the game.
#3 Gerard Pique (Position: Centre-Back | In Barcelona: 2008-Present)
Gerard Pique is only the third player on the list who is still playing the game and the only player who is still playing for Barcelona. The 34-year-old center-back was brought in from Manchester United in 2008 and has gone on to represent the Catalan shirt for more than a decade. Pique has been one of the most consistent players to have ever played for the club and his calmness and experience still makes him Ronald Koeman’s number one choice when it comes to center-backs. He has made over 550 appearances for the Blaugrana making him one of the most important players in the club’s history has won 30 major trophies with the club including three UCLs and eight league titles.
#2 Dani Alves (Position: Right-Back | In Barcelona: 2008-2016)
Dani Alves is football’s most decorated superstar and earns the second position on this list. Not only was he one of Laporta’s best signings, but he was also Pep Guardiola’s first signing and probably his most important player after Lionel Messi of course. The right-back revolutionized the way a full-back was looked at. Instead of a traditional defensive role, Alves loved to move up the field and help out his attack.
He had a great bond with Messi and ended up providing 101 assists for the club which is an insane number for a right-back. He even admitted in an interview that he is more of a creative midfielder who plays at the back rather than a typical full-back. WIth 41 major trophies to his name, he is the game’s most decorated player and he is still going on at Brazilian club, São Paulo.
#1 Ronaldinho (Position: Forward | In Barcelona: 2003-2008)
While the likes of Alves and Henry were great, Laporta’s best transfer to date has to be Ronaldinho. The former best footballer in the world and one-time Ballon d’Or winner was the catalyst to Barcelona’s revival. The irony is that the Catalans were not even going for the Brazilan in the first place. They wanted to get the glamourous player from England, David Beckham, instead but the English player ended up going to Real Madrid. Not be outdone, Laporta brought the Brazilian from Paris Saint-Germain as a direct response for losing out on Beckham.
The player was an instant hit and his performance on the field was absolutely magical. He was the game’s greatest entertainer and he could get results as well. Ronaldinho along with his right-hand man, Deco, was able to end the six-year trophyless run of Barcelona. The midfielder was a pleasure to watch as all of his skills were natural talents. He let himself go a bit near the end however, before that he managed to train Messi and mentor the Argentine to the player he is today. Ronaldinho will remain a Barca legend forever and probably one of the if not the most important player in the club’s history.
Which of these Barcelona players are your favorite?