Denis Suárez to Arsenal back on as Barcelona player close to Emirates switch

Denis Suárez is set for a reunion with Unai Emery as he get's closer to joining Arsenal - (C) AFP

One of this January transfer window’s most ‘on-off transfers’ Denis Suárez is on the verge of joining north London side Arsenal after a breakthrough in negotiations between them and his current club FC Barcelona.

The deal would be a loan with the option to buy in the future, with it being reported by various outlets that the midfielder will in the same deal sign a contract extension with Barcelona which will last until the summer of 2021, so the Catalan club doesn’t lose time on the player’s contract.

As for the loan deal, it would cost the London club £2 million, with the option to buy being the only part of the deal yet to be discussed, though £20 million is the likely figure.

Suárez is said to be keen on rejoining Unai Emery, a manager he played under during the 2014-2015 season when both were at Sevilla. In that season together, the 25-year-old played 46 times scoring six and assisting five whilst also winning the Europa League with the Spanish side, experience that could be valuable for the Gunners own campaign in that competition.

This season the Manchester City academy graduate has played eight times for 1st placed Barcelona while only starting two matches, both of them coming in the Copa del Rey.

Ernesto Valverde all but confirmed the player’s exit and transfer to Arsenal announcing during a press conference:

“I know that Denis was in this situation.”

“It is not official and we have to wait a little bit.”

“It was a possibility that everyone valued and we hope that if it happens, it will go well”.

The transfer fell through earlier on in the transfer window because of the loaning club wanting to sell the player outright, though as announced by Emery at the start of January:

“We cannot sign permanently, we are only allowed to sign loan players.”

Real Betis were rumoured to be the Spaniard’s likely destination before Valverde’s admission this morning after being more keen to agree a permanent transfer.

Suárez joining could mean an earlier exit for Welsh midfielder Aaron Ramsey, who has already agreed a deal to join Juventus in the summer on a Bosman deal as the Gunners plan for life without the 28-year-old.