In the vast universe of soccer, there is no shortage of players who have proven themselves and turned the tide of public opinion with extraordinary performances. Paulinho, the Brazilian midfielder, is one of them, and in the summer of 2017, when FC Barcelona, under the impetus of then-president Bartomeu and sporting director Robert Fernandez, recruited the veteran of China's Guangzhou Evergrande for a fee of 40 million euros, the football world was shaken up and skepticism was rife. After all, there was a lot of concern about whether a midfielder in the Asian league, who was nearing the end of his career, would be able to adapt to and conquer Europe's top leagues, especially with the likes of Barcelona.
However, Paulinho gave the loudest answer with practical actions. Under the careful coaching of Valverde, he not only quickly integrated into the team, but also played a key role in the game time and again. He not only in the defensive end to show the iron blood nature, become a solid barrier in the team's midfield; in the offensive end, Paulinho also showed a remarkable ability to end and creativity, many times with Suarez, Messi and other superstars to form a tacit understanding with the team to attack the fortress. That season, Paulinho played 49 matches in various tournaments, contributing 9 goals and 3 assists, with the actual performance back to all the doubts, proved his value far more than the price.
What is more commendable is that Paulinho's short stay in Barcelona not only brought the team a competitive improvement, but also realized a win-win situation financially. A year later, he returned to Guangzhou Evergrande at a price of 50 million euros, a transfer that not only allowed Barcelona to make considerable profits in the transfer market, but also provided sufficient financial support for the team's subsequent reinforcements and operations. Paulinho's journey to Barcelona has undoubtedly become a good story in the club's history, and he has written a legendary chapter from doubt to conquest with his sweat and hard work.
