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What happened next for Bojan, Jeffren, Oriol Romeu & Hleb - how Barcelona's summer exits are faring at their new clubs in 2011-12
Almost six months on from the close of the summer transfer window, Goal.com looks at the fortunes of half-a-dozen former Camp Nou stars since departing the Catalan club
15 Jan 2012 09:52:00
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ANALYSIS
By Ben Hayward, Luis Mira, Kris Voakes, Jonathan Birchall & Clark Whitney
After leaving the best club in the world, the only way is down. But not all players produce their best in the intimidating environment of the Camp Nou, where pressure to perform is at a high and where only the very best is good enough.
So how are Barcelona's recently-discarded stars performing in 2011-12?
Having looked on Thursday at the fortunes of six footballers who departed Real Madrid in the summer, Goal.com now examines the recent trajectory of half-a-dozen players who waved goodbye - at least for now - to the Catalan club in the last transfer window.
* Barcelona retain an option to buy back the player in future
After Bojan's well-known malaise at Camp Nou, it was hoped that the switch to Italy would give him a new lease of life, but it has not exactly been smooth sailing so far. Having struggled to settle in Luis Enrique's 4-3-3, he found himself demoted to the bench and, while goals in consecutive games against AC Milan and Novara looked set to pave the way to an improved run, he has yet to score since and remains behind Erik Lamela and Pablo Daniel Osvaldo in the pecking order.
However, Osvaldo's recent training-ground injury, which will keep him out for two months, means that Bojan could have another shot at first-team stability, with a run of games ahead which could see him add to his tally of just two 90-minute Serie A appearances so far.
Since returning to the Verdao on loan, Henrique has been in solid, if unspectacular, form for Luiz Felipe Scolari's side. The central defender was almost ever-present in the second half of 2011 after making his first start in August, playing some 21 games for Palmeiras in his second spell at the club. The team actually finished with the second-best defensive record in the league, with only Corinthians conceding fewer than their 39 goals; but a paltry return of 43 at the other end meant that the Verdao finished 11th, the worst-performing Paulista side of 2011.
Despite the side's indifferent form, Henrique's performances have gained admirers elsewhere in Brazil. Selecao coach Mano Menezes called the 25-year-old up for the Superclasico de las Americas matches against Argentina in the tail-end of 2011. Gremio are also confirmed suitors and, despite the six months remaining on his loan deal, have been strongly linked with a move taking the former Barca man to Porto Alegre for the 2012 season.
After missing the first two months of the season with an injury, Barcelona loanee Hleb made his first appearance as a starter against Hertha Berlin. The next week, he came on as a substitute and scored in a 5-1 loss to Dortmund. Coach Felix Magath was unimpressed, however, and the Belarus international featured for just 56 minutes more before the winter break.
Having used the player in just four games, Wolfsburg opted not to extend Hleb's stay, and the 30-year-old returned to Barca on January 1.
Jeffren Suarez's time at Sporting CP has been nothing short of a nightmare, as constant fitness problems have restricted him to just five competitive appearances to date. The former Spain Under-21 international was expected to become a key member in coach Domingos Paciencia's system, but successive thigh problems have forced the 43-year-old to use other players on the right wing.
The Venezuela-born attacker has vowed to overcome his fitness frustrations and the place in attack is still there for him to claim. However, the 23-year-old will have to considerably up his game after he turned in a poor display in Wednesday's 2-2 draw against Nacional, being replaced at half-time in what was his first game since October.
There were great expectations for Milito when, at 31 and after an absence of eight years, he rejoined boyhood idols Independiente on a free transfer and was immediately handed the captain's armband. His return, however, has not gone exactly as planned.
Milito's debut coincided with defeat over two legs in the Recopa Sudamericana to Internacional, and a disappointing Apertura campaign followed where the Rojo languished in mid-table and finished in eighth place overall. The Argentina international's lack of pace was badly exposed in some cases, most notably against Banfield when young forward Facundo Ferreyra turned him in circles and netted twice in a 3-0 defeat.
All eyes will be on Milito in 2012 to see if his poor form in the previous season was a case of taking time to resettle, or evidence of his decline as a first-class defender. He will be especially keen not to follow the example of Roberto Ayala: the former Albiceleste captain returned with great fanfare to Argentine football with Racing Club in 2010, but never found his form and retired at the end of the same year little more than a reserve for Independiente's bitterest rivals.
When Chelsea signed Romelu Lukaku for €21 million in the summer transfer window, the Premier League prepared for the Belgian prodigy to take the goalscoring burden off Didier Drogba’s shoulders and step into the limelight. In the shadows was Oriol Romeu, a €5m acquisition from Catalunya who, less than half a year later, is the Stamford Bridge youngster to have stepped into centre stage.
Already labelled as the new Claude Makelele, the La Masia graduate has, at times, proven himself to be potentially worthy of the tag with dynamic and powerful midfield performances providing a backbone to a team that has so often seemed spineless. Aged only 20, Romeu still has work to do but his future already excites – Barcelona’s €10m buy-back fee already looks like a shrewd bit of business.
By Ben Hayward, Luis Mira, Kris Voakes, Jonathan Birchall & Clark Whitney
After leaving the best club in the world, the only way is down. But not all players produce their best in the intimidating environment of the Camp Nou, where pressure to perform is at a high and where only the very best is good enough.
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So how are Barcelona's recently-discarded stars performing in 2011-12?
Having looked on Thursday at the fortunes of six footballers who departed Real Madrid in the summer, Goal.com now examines the recent trajectory of half-a-dozen players who waved goodbye - at least for now - to the Catalan club in the last transfer window.
* Barcelona retain an option to buy back the player in future
| BOJAN KRKIC | Moved to Roma on a permanent deal* |
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However, Osvaldo's recent training-ground injury, which will keep him out for two months, means that Bojan could have another shot at first-team stability, with a run of games ahead which could see him add to his tally of just two 90-minute Serie A appearances so far.
| HENRIQUE | Moved to Palmeiras on loan |
 READ MORE ON HENRIQUE |
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Despite the side's indifferent form, Henrique's performances have gained admirers elsewhere in Brazil. Selecao coach Mano Menezes called the 25-year-old up for the Superclasico de las Americas matches against Argentina in the tail-end of 2011. Gremio are also confirmed suitors and, despite the six months remaining on his loan deal, have been strongly linked with a move taking the former Barca man to Porto Alegre for the 2012 season.
| ALIAKSANDR HLEB | Moved to Wolfsburg on loan |
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Having used the player in just four games, Wolfsburg opted not to extend Hleb's stay, and the 30-year-old returned to Barca on January 1.
| JEFFREN SUAREZ | Moved to Sporting CP on a permanent deal* |
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The Venezuela-born attacker has vowed to overcome his fitness frustrations and the place in attack is still there for him to claim. However, the 23-year-old will have to considerably up his game after he turned in a poor display in Wednesday's 2-2 draw against Nacional, being replaced at half-time in what was his first game since October.
| GABRIEL MILITO | Moved to Independiente on a permanent deal |
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Milito's debut coincided with defeat over two legs in the Recopa Sudamericana to Internacional, and a disappointing Apertura campaign followed where the Rojo languished in mid-table and finished in eighth place overall. The Argentina international's lack of pace was badly exposed in some cases, most notably against Banfield when young forward Facundo Ferreyra turned him in circles and netted twice in a 3-0 defeat.
All eyes will be on Milito in 2012 to see if his poor form in the previous season was a case of taking time to resettle, or evidence of his decline as a first-class defender. He will be especially keen not to follow the example of Roberto Ayala: the former Albiceleste captain returned with great fanfare to Argentine football with Racing Club in 2010, but never found his form and retired at the end of the same year little more than a reserve for Independiente's bitterest rivals.
| ORIOL ROMEU | Moved to Chelsea on a permanent deal* |
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Already labelled as the new Claude Makelele, the La Masia graduate has, at times, proven himself to be potentially worthy of the tag with dynamic and powerful midfield performances providing a backbone to a team that has so often seemed spineless. Aged only 20, Romeu still has work to do but his future already excites – Barcelona’s €10m buy-back fee already looks like a shrewd bit of business.
| Sign up with 188BET for a FREE bet up to £25 – Great Prices, Every Game |
|
| Open an account with Sportingbet today and get up to £50 in free bets! |
|
| Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25 |
|
| Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200 |
|
| Sign up with Paddy Power - Bet £10, Get £20! |
|
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