Barcelona have confirmed midfielder Denis Suarez has sealed a loan move to Arsenal for the remainder of the season and won his dream reunion with manager Unai Emery.
Suarez – who reportedly missed Barcelona’s training on Tuesday – previously played under Emery at Sevilla and the Arsenal manager has spoken to the player this month in order to detail his plans and ambitions for his Arsenal team.
Barcelona had wanted to cash in on Suarez this month in a £17 million deal to Sevilla or Real Betis as his contract expires in 18 months time but Suarez refused to join those clubs due to his desire to return to English football.
“FC Barcelona and Denis Suárez have reached an agreement for the extension of the player’s contract with the club, which ended on June 30, 2020, until June 30, 2021,” the Spanish club said in a short statement on Wednesday afternoon.
“FC Barcelona have also agreed a loan deal for Suarez with Arsenal for the remainder of the 2018/19 season. The Premier League club will pay the player’s salary during this time and the agreement includes an option to buy.”
The 25-year-old previously played in the Manchester City youth teams as a teenager before returning to Spain.
Arsenal’s hopes of signing Suarez this month appeared to be dwindling as the club do not have the financial means to commit to signing Suarez in January but the move was revived when the midfielder’s agent suggested a £1.8 million loan fee and then a summer option in excess of £20 million to make the move permanent.