Homework for Barca's new boys

It's not easy to improve on a team that at little as three years ago completed the treble, but Barcelona have attempted to bolster their team, signing 14 players since Luis Enrique's historic feat.

Out of this surprisingly large amount of new recruits, only one player has stood out: Samuel Umtiti. The ex-Lyon defender has, without doubt, excelled the most out of the 14. Furthermore, on top of being the player who has shone the most (in fact Carlos Puyol dubbed him the best European centre-back at the moment), he is also the only newbie to earn a place in the starting XI.

Jasper Cillessen, the only goalkeeper the Catalan giants have signed since 2015, has failed to overtake Ter Stegen, even if his performances haven't been below-par. Of the five defenders brought in (Lucas Digne, Umtiti, Aleix Vidal, Nelson Semedo and Yerry Mina) only the Frenchman has showed his quality, although Yerry Mina is beginning to show great potential. 

The new midfield and forward recruits are the ones who have let-down the most. Players like Arda Turan, Denis Suarez, Andre Gomes, Paco Alcacer and Gerard Deulofeu have failed to meet the high expectations expected of them. Only time will tell if Paulinho rediscovers the level he was playing at at the beginning of the season and if Ousmane Dembele can return to the heights of his time at Dortmund and Rennes. 

Despite not having featured much, doubts have still be raised around club record signing Coutinho. The Brazilian is yet to adapt to Barca's style of play, but his undeniable quality and talent all but ensure a promising, triumphant future with the Catalans. 

Coutinho's inclusion is currently coinciding with the gradual departure of Andres Iniesta. Recently, however, Coutinho has served as the understudy of one of the greatest players to ever don the famous purple and blue jersey, but the fans trust the Brazilian will rise to the challenge when he takes over. 

With regards to the rest of Barca's newboys, there's still work to be done if they are to one day replace the side's current star men.