In life, sometimes you need to take one step backwards to go two steps forward.
Barcelona, though, have taken more than just one with their transfer business in the last few seasons.
Years of financial mismanagement has seen them go from one of the best frontlines world football has ever seen, to a trio of stars who failed to cut it in England.
Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar – famously dubbed ‘MSN’ – dominated European football for the Catalans between 2014 and 2017.
In that period, the trio played a total of 450 games in all competitions and scored 364 goals between them… oh, and they managed 173 assists too.
As a trio they won two LaLiga titles, three Copas del Rey, a Champions League and a Club World Cup.
They struck fear into every defence they faced, but the decline of Barcelona now sees them with a front-three that barely terrified anyone during their various spells in English football.
Messi and Neymar are now both in France with Paris Saint-Germain, while Suarez won a title with Atletico Madrid last season, leaving their former club in a pickle.
Martin Braithwaite, Luuk de Jong, and Memphis Depay, are now the men who could lead the line for them in the next few weeks.
All three played on these shores, although the former only made the pitch in the Championship and not the Premier League, and all with limited success.
Indeed, between them they played 105 games in all competitions here, but managed just 16 goals between them – De Jong infamously getting none during his 12-match spell at Newcastle.
Meanwhile, Messi managed 24 in 34 games against English sides in the Champions League alone – with nine against Arsenal in six matches.
Considering that’s the same amount of goals Braithwaite got across a season and a half with Middlesbrough, it represents a stark contrast for the Spaniards.
Undoubtedly the trio have improved since their ill-fated spells in England but, even so, having watched the Nou Camp club with a thrilling forward line for so long, it’s a real fall from grace.
It should be noted they, of course, still have wonderkid Ansu Fati, who has now taken Messi’s No.10 shirt, while Ousmane Dembele is also at the club but both are currently injured, along with fellow new boy Sergio Aguero.
Until then though, this is a very different Barcelona side and one many will find it hard to get excited about.
Former Premier League star Gabby Agbonlahor is certainly in that category, telling talkSPORT he will stop following the Catalan club this year.
Barcelona’s front-three through the years…
- Messi, Eto’o, Ronaldinho
- Messi Eto’o, Henry
- Messi, Ibrahimovic, Henry
- Messi, Villa, Pedro
- Messi, Suarez, Neymar
- Messi, Suarez, Coutinho
- Messi, Suarez, Griezmann
- Messi, Braithwaite, Griezmann
- Braithwaite, De Jong, Depay
“It’s just a shame isn’t it. I’ve watched Barcelona for years, I’ve been obsessed with Barcelona, especially since Messi made his debut.
“But now, you won’t see me watch a Barcelona game, and I feel a lot of people will feel the same.
“That’s why Real Madrid have been crying out for Kylian Mbappe, to get some viewers back to Spanish football, because I can’t see anybody watching it!
“I think everyone is going to be watching the French league instead!”
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