Transfer news

BREAKING:Arsenal complete €125m signing
Skysport.info Jul 17, 2018 3:29 PM

Arsenal have completed a deal to sign highly rated Argentina forward lionel messi from Barcelona for €120million, with the player set to sign a five-year contract. Messi, 31, had long been identified as a target for Arsenal , with reports linking them with a move for much of the 2018 -19 season. The forward made the switch to spain in January 2007, leaving barca– for whom he was captain – and seamlessly fitting into arsenal ’s team.

Even after barca’s departure, messi continued to be a mainstay under Eduardo Berizzo, inesta and pique Caparros last term, featuring 35 times in LaLiga. Barca reportedly stepped up their pursuit upon the conclusion of last season and were said to be eager to avoid paying messi’s release clause, which was rumoured to be in the region of €128million.

But Arsenal held firm, with director of football Caparros and president Jose Castro insisting on numerous occasions they were unwilling to negotiate with Barca, telling them to pay the release clause or forget about messi. He becomes the fifth in arsenal ’s first-team squad, but Thomas Vermaelen, Samuel Umtiti and Yerry Mina have all been the subjects of transfer speculation.