Barcelona chief Robert Fernandez has explained his multiple scouting trips to Brazil.

Robert never made any additions from the country over the summer.

He told Sport: "We saw a lot of players, but in nearly every case, they were the same cost as players in Europe, and in some cases more expensive. In the end we chose Alcacer, who already has La Liga experience. His adaptation will be much quicker.

"I always say that there are very few South Americans that come here, to a big club, and triumph [immediately]. Nearly all of them have to pay a toll [elsewhere] first, like Rivaldo at Depor, Ronaldinho at PSG, Ronaldo at PSV and so on. The only one is Neymar and perhaps Marcelo. There aren't players that come from South America and are a success straight away at a young age. It could have been a better bet [to sign from Brazil], but we're talking about the same money and Paco Alcacer is the reality."