Until this year, when they brought in four players in January, Barcelona had generally avoided doing much business in the winter transfer window. It’s not difficult to see why when you look at the record of their mid-season recruits.
A team as dominant as Barca were tend not to be desperate to bolster their squad at this point of the season, although that has changed somewhat in more recent seasons.
We’ve revisited their last 16 January signings to see how they fared and what they’re up to now.
Juan Pablo Sorin
Barring a short spell at Juventus as a teenager, Sorin had spent his entire playing career in South America prior to the 2002-03 season.
He spent the first half of that campaign on loan at Lazio before switching to Barcelona on another temporary deal.
After Barca flirted dangerously close to the relegation zone over the first half of the season, costing Louis van Gaal his job, Sorin helped steady the ship as the club finished sixth. However, he moved on to PSG the following season.
Since retiring in 2009, the former Argentina left-back has worked as a broadcaster.
Edgar Davids
Barcelona were again struggling at the midway point of 2003-04, with Frank Rijkaard under pressure and the team sitting 12th following a 3-0 defeat at Racing Santander at the start of January.
They eventually finished second, just five points behind champions Valencia, with Davids’ arrival on loan from Juventus credited as being the catalyst for their upturn.
Most significantly, the energy and bite Davids brought to midfield allowed Xavi and Ronaldinho to find their best form for Barcelona. The duo were crucial to the club winning La Liga the following season, by which point Davids had moved on to Inter.
The Dutchman’s most notable role in football in recent years was a bizarre spell as player-manager at Barnet, which ended with the club languishing in the Conference in 2014.
READ: Remembering Edgar Davids’ wonderful then weird stint at Barnet
Jose Pinto
A madhead goalkeeper signed as back-up initially on loan from Celta Vigo in January 2008, Pinto’s loan move was made permanent at the end of the season and he stayed as an able deputy until 2014.
After retiring, Pinto has been able to focus more on his work as a musician and hip-hop producer, releasing music on his own record label under the alter-ego Wahin, with one song used on one of the many dozens of Fast and Furious films.
Ibrahim Afellay
Injuries blighted Afellay’s career after joining Barcelona…
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