Thomas Vermaelen
When: 2014
How much: £15m
With Carles Puyol retired and the Barca back line in disarray, they moved for the powerful Belgian in the hope that he would be able to help solve their problems. Despite being club captain, his final season saw him struggling to get into the side and he decided that it would be best for him to move on.
But news this week has suggested that the Belgian international will miss the rest of the season thanks to his hamstring injury, and rumours of a loan return to England with Man united and Arsenal now appear to be shelved. It’s fair to say that Barca just shouldn’t bother next time and look somewhere else.
SEE ALSO: Best young football players in the world!