Arsenal have finally signed a player called Suarez from Barcelona. We think.
Barca stated on Wednesday that Denis Suarez had signed a new deal at the Nou Camp until 2021 before joining Arsenal on loan for the rest of the season.
But the Spanish club have removed the article on their website announcing the deal, leading to confusion over the move.
‘FC Barcelona have also agreed a loan deal for Suarez with Arsenal for the remainder of the 2018/19 season,’ the statement read.
‘The Premier League club will pay the player’s salary during this time and the agreement includes an option to buy.’
There is no obligation to buy as part of the deal, which was previously thought to be a sticking point in negotiations as Barca wanted to protect the value of their asset, while Arsenal wished to avoid having to spend actual money at any point in the near future.
However, Arsenal have a £20m option to buy Suarez if his initial loan deal proves a success.
The 25-year-old played under Unai Emery on loan for Sevilla in 2014/15.
The midfielder is one of two signings that Emery is hoping to bring in before Thursday’s deadline.
The Gunners will now turn their attention to bringing in a wide player to supplement Unai Emery’s squad, with Yannick Carrasco the most likely option.