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Philippe Coutinho, Ousmane Dembélé, Antoine Griezmann: Which Barcelona big money ‘flop’ had the best chance to thrive under Hansi Flick?

Barcelona’s inability to properly invest the money from Neymar’s huge sale to PSG in 2017 is one of the many problems the club faced over the last decade, and three signings in particular really helped set the club back: Philippe…

By Renato Gonçalves · Barca Blaugranes

Published: Sunday, 11 October 2026 at 3:00 PM

Key Things to Know

Barca Blaugranes asks fans which past expensive signing would have thrived most under Hansi Flick.
The writer highlights Philippe Coutinho, Ousmane Dembélé, and Antoine Griezmann as major signings that previously fell short.
The author views these three transfers as poor reinvestments following Neymar's 2017 move to PSG.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Barca Blaugranes writer Renato Gonçalves explores whether past expensive Barcelona signings could have succeeded under current manager Hansi Flick. The discussion centers on Philippe Coutinho, Ousmane Dembélé, and Antoine Griezmann, who were acquired after Neymar's departure to PSG in 2017 but struggled to fulfill expectations at the club.

The writer argues that Flick has shown an exceptional ability to improve players since taking charge two and a half years ago. As part of a community prompt, Gonçalves invites supporters to debate which of the three former attackers would have performed best in Flick's tactical setup.

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