Barcelona - once at the vanguard of the development of tiki-taka, have in recent years, become the first side to chuck it aside. Realising the folly of the metronomic style of play against sides who were happy to sit deep and then eviscerate them on the counter-attack, Barca realised that a much better plan was to sign the two best attackers they didn't have for eye-watering sums of money.
By front-loading their side with Messi, Suarez and Neymar, Barca have been able to take the 'feck it, it'll be grand' approach to their defence for quite a while.
This has not been for the lack of money invested in defenders. They've signed more than you think, mainly because those who have signed have underwhelmed. Here are the defenders signed by the club since Pep Guardiola's departure in 2012:
- Jordi Alba for €14 million
- Douglas for €4 million
- Thomas Vermaelen for €19 million (yes, really)
- Jeremy Mathieu for €20 million
- Aleix Vidal for €17 million
That's a decent chunk of cash for players who, Jordi Alba aside, have failed to make a regular impact on the first-team. However, the club spent more on Luis Suarez than they have on defenders since Guardiola left.
With Dani Alves gone, and Javier Mascherano agitating to follow him, Barcelona confirmed today they have reached an agreement with Lyon for the transfer of central defender Samuel Umtiti, who admittedly sounds like he was named by a breastfed child.
The fee is €25 million for a defender who is currently with the France national team. Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu confirmed as much today:
Barca have reached an agreement with Samuel Umtiti for the fixed sum of €25m. What is left to do is to speak with the player, who is playing with France now. When he is finished [at Euro 2016], the deal will be reviewed. OL have already made it official and we are confirming that it is true.
Barca also confirmed that they would not be permitting Mascherano and Ter Stegen to leave the club, and that they are on the verge of renewing Neymar's contract.
Unlucky, Europe. Your only hope now is if Umtiti turns out like Barca's most expensive defensive signing, Dmytro Chygrynskiy. A man otherwise known as Pep Guardiola's darkest nightmare.
[ESPN]
