Few things in the history of football have been quite as special as Pep Guardiola's Barcelona side.

From 2008 to 2012, the Blaugrana dominated the sport, winning two Champions League titles and playing some of the greatest football ever seen by human eyes.

Lionel Messi, Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta were all in their pomp, brushing aside the competition with effortless skill.

But how crucial was the transfer market to Guardiola's success? Well in his four seasons, he made 17 first-team signings and they were a pretty mixed bag.

Some turned into key components of the team, while others failed to make a single appearance for Barca.

2008/09:

Dani Alves

He turned out okay, didn't he? After starring for Sevilla, Barca saw fit to splash the cash on the Brazilian and he redefined the right-back role.

Following short, but successful, spells with Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain, Alves is back in Brazil with Sao Paolo where he is now playing - as a number 10!

Aleksandr Hleb

The Belarusian was adored at Arsenal, but like so many before and after him, he found the grass wasn't greener on the other side.

In his four years with Barca, he made just 19 appearances and he's played for nine different clubs since. The 38-year-old is still playing in his native Belarus with Isloch Minsk Raion.

Martin Caceres 

During his three years with Barca, the Uruguayan defender made just 13 appearances, before sealing a permanent move to Sevilla in 2011.

After stints at Southampton, Juventus (twice), Hellas Verona and Lazio, Caceres is now getting regular(ish) football at Fiorentina.

Seydou Keita

One of Guardiola's most underrated signings. While Keita wasn't a Xavi or Iniesta, he was a supremely talented midfielder who always performed when called upon.

After spending the 2016/17 season with El Jaish in Qatar following spells with Valencia and Roma, Keita called time on his playing career.

Henrique

You may be asking, who?! Well, don't worry, Henrique never made a senior appearance for Barca.

The Brazilian central defender spent his entire career with the club on loan at Bayer Leverkusen, Racing Santander and Palmeiras. Henrique is now playing in the UAE with Al-Ittihad Kalba SC.

Gerard Pique

Whatever happened to him, eh? Pique's signing helped revolutionise Barca's defence and his partnership with Carlos Puyol was the foundation of Guardiola's team.

The Spaniard is still the key man in the Blaugrana's back-line and looks as good as ever.

Jose Manuel Pinto

Pinto's impressive decade with Celta Vigo saw Barca bring him in as back-up to Victor Valdes, a role he fulfilled diligently.

He retired in 2014 as something of a cult hero among the club's supporters.

2009/10:

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Never made the cut at Barca, but what a career he had after.

Goal-ladden spells with AC Milan, PSG and Manchester United made him a footballing legend and he's now banging them in with LA Galaxy, with rumours that he could return to European football soon...

Dmytro Chygrynskiy

Arrived from Shakhtar Donetsk with a glowing reputation, but was shipped back to Ukraine after just one year in sunny Spain.

His career never really recovered from his struggles with Barca and he's now with AEK Athens, where he has been since 2016.

Maxwell

As dependable as they come. Maxwell is remembered fondly by Barca supporters for his three years at the club, where he turned in a number of key performances in big games.

The Brazilian left in 2012 for PSG, where he spent five successful years before hanging up his boots for good.

Keirrison

Like Henrique, you're probably asking, who?! Well once again, the Brazilian forward never made a senior appearance for the club and was sent out on loan five different times.

Keirrison is now a free agent after a short spell with Londrina in Brazil's second division in 2018. Anyone fancy taking a punt on him?

2010/11:

David Villa

The marquee signing at a time when the club was arguably the best football team to have graced the planet.

And what did Villa do? He made it better. After spending so many of his years playing with Iniesta, Villa decided to join his Spanish compatriot at Vissel Kobe where he's currently scoring goals for fun.

Javier Mascherano

Like Keita, Mascherano's underrated genius was a crucial cog in Guardiola's silky football machine.

The Argentine spent most of his Barca career as a centre-back before leaving in 2018 to join Chinese Super League side, Hebei Fortune.

Adriano

Left-back, right-back, centre-back, midfield, left-wing, you name a position and Adriano probably played there for Barca before leaving in 2016.

Mr Versatile is now offering his rare skill set to Athletico Paranaense after three years with Besiktas.

Ibrahim Afellay

So much talent, but just not enough luck.

Injuries limited to Afellay to sporadic first-team appearances at Barca, leading to a questionable move to Stoke in 2015. He's now back in Holland with PSV Eindhoven.

2011/12:

Cesc Fabregas

When Fabregas returned home, big things were expected. Sadly for him, he arrived amidst a golden era of midfielders at the club.

As such, he was mostly used as a 'false nine' and did enjoy a lot of success in Spain before his move to Chelsea in 2014. He's now seeing out his remaining playing years with AS Monaco.

Alexis Sanchez

Like Fabregas, Sanchez's move to the Camp Nou coincided with Barca possessing a plethora of world-class attackers.

Messi, David Villa, Pedro Rodriguez and more meant game time was hard to come by. Still, Sanchez did well, securing a move to Arsenal before his ill-fated switch to Manchester United.

He's now trying to revive his career on loan at Inter Milan.