Big clubs spend big bucks for the biggest players, but they don't always work out. Soccer history is littered with stories of ill-advised transfers and money wasted. But when it works, beautiful things can happen. Here are the biggest transfers ever for La Liga giant FC Barcelona — money well spent with big payoffs.
6. Ivan Rakitic
Rakitic is one of the most underrated Barcelona players of all time, so much so that he deserves a spot on this list. Barcelona spent €18 million on the Croatian international, and it's safe to say that after six seasons, 77 goal contributions, over 300 matches, and 15 trophies, he left an impact that diehard Barca fans won't forget.
5. Thierry Henry
Everyone loves Titi, but few clubs can say that the French legend wore their jersey. Henry's stats speak for themselves. In 121 games, he delivered 76 goal contributions. He also contributed to six trophies, including one UEFA Champions League. Although his time with the club was short, he was vital in that infamous 2008-2009 squad.
4. Jordi Alba
When Barcelona bought Jordi Alba for €14 million in 2012, nobody could have expected him to become one of Barcelona's best defenders. His defensive talents were good, but offensively, he is perhaps the best left backs of all time. He notched 126 goal contributions in 459 games for the Culers. One of those goal contributions came in Barca's iconic 3-2 win over Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu in the 2016-2017 season, when he assisted Lionel Messi's match winner in stoppage time.
3. Gerard Pique
Yes, it's true that Pique was raised in La Masia, but after spending a bit of time with Manchester United, he returned to Barca. The Spanish club only had to pay €5 million for Pique, and just like Jordi Alba and Rakitic, he became a legend at the club. He was a constant name in the starting lineup for two almost two decades, and his trophy cabinet is filled with 35 trophies, three of them being the UEFA Champions League. Although Pique began to falter as the years went on, his status as a club legend never wavered.
2. Neymar
He could have been ranked at the top if he never left the club, but alas, Neymar had to leave for Paris, and everything went downhill from there. While he was at Barca, he combined with Suárez and Lionel Messi to create MSN, which many consider to be soccer's greatest trio. The price to bring Neymar was steep, but the talent that Barcelona received in return was undeniable. He won 12 titles with Barcelona, including a UEFA Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup.
1. Ronaldinho
This one shouldn't be surprising. Ronaldinho's cultural impact for Barcelona and the wider soccer world cannot be understated. Although he didn't play as many games for Barcelona as someone like Messi, Ronaldinho's flair and consistency earned him the right of legend. The Brazilian had 163 goal contributions in 207 games, while also helping the club win two league titles and the European Cup in the 2005-06 season.