On Wednesday, Barcelona announced the signing of Kevin-Prince Boateng from Sassuolo on a loan deal with an option to buy after six months.

This out-of-the-blue deal was seen by many as reactionary, puzzling and simply bizarre. A player, ostensibly well past his prime, signed by one of the biggest clubs in the world.

A response to Munir El Haddadi’s departure to Sevilla, Boateng might not have been the first-choice replacement for most Barcelona fans. However, it’s worth noting that signing a quality replacement in the winter, who is willing to play second fiddle to Luis Suarez, would have been extremely difficult and the Catalan club might have been helpless in this case.

What does this transfer mean for Barcelona? We take a look at some of the pros and cons.

PROS

A player who knows the league

Boateng wore the colours of Las Palmas and played under Quique Setien, touted by some as the next head coach of the Blaugrana, during his time in Spain. It is where the Ghanaian first started functioning as an out-and-out striker after spending most of his career in midfield.

He scored 10 goals in 28 games and was schooled under Setien in the positional and tactical awareness required to succeed in La Liga.

The 31-year-old also engineered a famous goal –  a brilliantly coordinated move and volley – against Villarreal in the 2016/17 season.

Given this is a loan deal for the next six months, going for an experienced player could prove a better option than chasing a young prospect, who would need more time to gel in top-class surroundings behind Suarez.

Suarez to work for his spot

With Munir gone, Suarez could take his spot in the starting line-up for granted and slack off, with no one to compete for the number nine spot.

Enter Boateng. The Uruguayan has been in superb form after a slump to start the season, but there is no harm in feeling a little pressure from the Ghana international behind him.

Healthy competition is a good thing for all parties involved, and you can bet on the former AC Milan man to put in a lot of hard work and bring out the best of Suarez – or even replace him?

Transfer does not rule out marquee summer signing

Boateng is signed on a £1.8m loan deal which includes an option to buy for £7.1m. This means that Barcelona could still make a big-name signing in the summer and Boateng is not a long-term option.

Just £1.8m for a player who can boast of playing in the Champions League, Serie A, Bundesliga, La Liga and Premier League seems like a fair deal, given Barcelona’s situation in the forward department.

Basically, the Catalan club has just postponed the signing of a long-term replacement for Suarez and hence went for what is at the very least a cheaper alternative to fill in the six-month gap.

Versatility comes as a boon

Traditionally a midfielder, the Ghana international can play as a number nine and as a number 10.

This versatility can be helpful towards the business end of the season when Barcelona are a victim of harsh scheduling or an injury crisis.

Boateng can also provide that burst of energy and explosiveness when he comes on as a substitute in games where the Catalan club fail to unlock the opponents’ defence.

CONS

Youngsters at Barcelona take a hit

Malcom has had to endure a lot of hardships during his time at Barcelona so far. Ranging from injury problems to losing the coach’s favour, the Brazilian has handled it all.

A winger who can also perform in a central role, Malcom probably licked his lips as he watched Munir leave the club as it would then make him the clear-cut second choice behind Suarez.

With Boateng entering the fray, Malcom’s rank in the pecking order is reduced further and an incredible talent will be seen rotting on the bench – if that – for the remainder of the season.

Boateng’s versatility can also prove to be a bane for some of the upcoming midfield prospects. La Masia starlet Carles Alena – who started for Barcelona in victory over Leganes and did a good job might see his minutes reduced.

Simply put, the youngsters at the club will not be welcoming this transfer with a smile.

Barcelona philosophy?

The Catalan club has always prioritised technical abilities over physicality. But this has seen quite a few exceptions in the recent past – from Paulinho to Arturo Vidal.

In hindsight, both these transfers did pan out well for the Catalans, but there’s no denying that Barcelona are drifting away from their core philosophy which justified the “More than a club” slogan.

If Barcelona were true to their philosophy, they would have trusted a player from the academy or looked at tactical solutions. The point of a back-up striker is to strengthen the spine of the squad in times when Suarez is injured.

Messi as a false nine, Malcom as a striker, the promotion of Abel Ruiz or  Riqui Puig from Barcelona B are not the easiest choices, but the Barcelona from the Pep Guardiola days would have definitely considered these before going for a 31-year-old striker who does not exactly fit the club’s profile.

VERDICT

Barcelona have been bagging clever and economical deals recently and this can probably be added to the list.

In Boateng, they have signed a monster of a player who adds some explosive power to the already stacked strike-force at Barcelona.

The signing of Paulinho was considered outrageous, but the Brazilian performed admirably and left his mark in the league.

The Ghanaian’s signing seems more sensible and could bring some instant success.