The main virtues of 2018.
Let's be honest, footballers rarely boast a good reputation. Drinkers, brawlers and revelers - when…

Continue reading →

Interesting facts about the FIFA World Cup 2018
1. The World Cup Final turned out to be surprisingly productive: France and Croatia scored…

Continue reading →

Forgotten homeland
The loud statements that the Russian national team reached a new level after the World…

...

A politician who loves football
Fellut is a tiny village near Budapest, where about two thousand people live. The tranquility…

Continue reading →

The most expensive defenders in the history of “Barcelona”

FootballHD recalls defense players whose transfers cost the Catalan club treasury a pretty penny.
December 20, “Barcelona” announced an agreement with “Valencia” about the transition on loan to defender Jason Murillo. For the six months of the loan, the Catalans paid 2.5 million euros to the Levantis, and also registered in the contract a redemption option of 25 million euros.
If in the summer Barcelona wants to use the option and concludes a full-fledged contract with Murillo, this player will go down in the history of the Catalan club, as one of the most expensive defense players. So far, the top ten most expensive defenders bought by Barcelona look like this.
Luca Ding – 16.5 million euros
In the summer of 2016, Barcelona bought Dine’s contract from PSG, seeing it as a competitor for Jordi Alba on the left flank of the defense. However, in two years to become a key player in the camp “blaugranas” Luke could not. In total for the “Barcelona” Frenchman spent 46 matches, distinguishing himself with 2 goals and 3 assistants.
At the end of the 2017/18 season, interest in Luke Dinju was shown by Everton, backing it up with a specific offer of 20 million euros. Barcelona did not object to such a deal, and the transfer took place. Now Ding is one of the key players “toffee”, having a regular place in the first team.
Philip KRISTANVAL – 17 million euros
Cristanval is another French defender in the history of Barcelona. He acted in the central zone, and in the camp “Blaugranas” in the summer of 2001 he moved from Monaco for 17 million euros for a very, very serious defensive line player. In Barcelona, ​​the talented Kristanval could not prove himself at the maximum of his capabilities, having played 47 matches in two tournaments in two years and giving them one effective transfer.
In July 2003, Barcelona released Cristanvale for free to Marseille, but there was literally a crush of injuries and a five-year employment contract that literally leaped onto the footballer. He was terminated two years later, and Kristanval moved to Fulham. In the London team, Philip managed to win a place at the base, but then the injuries made themselves felt again. In the summer of 2008, the contract with Fulham came to an end, and the British did not want to renew it. Looking for a few months new options and not finding them, Kristanval in 30 years decided to hang the shoes on a nail.
Thomas VERMALEN – 19 million euros
The Belgian moved to the “Camp Nou” from the “Arsenal” in August 2014. In the camp of the Gunners, he was an unconditional player of the main team, but he had problems due to injuries. In Catalonia, Vermaelen was also unable to escape from these troubles. It was the injuries that prevented Thomas from showing himself as part of Barcelona, ​​where he now appears on the field quite sporadically.
The contract Vermahlen with “Barcelona” is calculated until the summer of 2019 and is unlikely to be renewed. Obviously, it is precisely the Murillo transition that will put an end to Vermalene’s career in a blue and garnet t-shirt. In November, the Belgian turned 33 years old, which means that in the coming summer he will have the final chance to make a statement about himself in football, probably signing his last professional contract as a player.
Jérémie MOTHER – € 20 Million
Another French Beck for whom Barcelona did not spare several tens of millions of euros. In the camp of the Catalans Mathieu, as now Murillo, moved from “Valencia”. In 2014, the deal cost Barça EUR 20 million. However, the centerback did not come to the court in the Catalan team at all. He was quite mistaken and generally did not look as reliable as most of his colleagues in the defensive line.
In total for Barcelona, ​​Mathieu played 91 matches in 3 years, distinguishing himself with 4 goals and 3 assistants. Despite the initially signed 4-year contract with Barcelona, ​​in the summer of 2017, the Catalans agreed to release Mathieu to the Sporting Lisbon as a free agent. In Portugal, the case of an experienced Frenchman went smoothly and in his first season in the championship of this country he had 29 fights, all in the starting lineup.
Gabi MILITO – 20 million euros
In 2007, Barcelona took the risk and donated a considerable amount to Zaragoza for the Argentine centback, despite the fact that he had previously been rejected by Real doctors. In Madrid, it was considered that Milito’s body was too prone to injury, and therefore investing several tens of millions of euros in its signing was inappropriate. In the spring of 2008, these predictions came true when Gaby suffered a serious injury, which knocked him out of the game for more than a year.
As a result, for four seasons in Barcelona, ​​Milito played 76 fights in all competitions, having distinguished himself with 2 goals and 1 assists. This centralback was not remembered by any fatal mistakes, but injuries, of course.