This fucked up market has badly exposed the lack of the board's (and Segura + Robert) ability and skill to actually come up with smart solutions. It's either A or B with these guys. A is overpay for top talents (did that with Dembele), or B overpay for mediocre players (did that with Paulinho). They are unable to find excellent talents that for some reason are under the radar. Pretty much what Madrid did with Asensio, and even Kovacic to some extent.
Arguably the best signing of the summer was made by accident, because Arsenal refused to sell Bellerin. That's what it takes for these guys to make a good transfer. An external event that blocks their initial dumb plan, so we end up by accident with what should've been option no1 in the first place.
Maybe if we had faced some trouble in signing Paulinho, we would've signed Seri. Sadly, no external event happened this time. They fucking paid the release clause, so the Chinese had to sell. The incompetence will find a way most cases. The best thing they can do is overpay for obvious top talents, like in Dembele's case. Finding a Dembele for 20m. is way way way way above their limited capacities. Other teams have that eye for talent, not Barca. Barca is like a rich idiot (not even the richest idiot) who buys a 50 euro pizza from some fancy restaurant, when he can do an amazing pizza at home with 5 euros and 60 mins of work.
Take what you can guys. It's a miracle we signed Semedo and Dembele. One by luck and other by overpaying.