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Arsenal finalising deal to sign £18m attacker after breakthrough in negotiations

By on January 29, 2019

According to Football London and various sources in Spain, Arsenal are finalising a deal to sign Denis Suarez on an initial loan ahead of a potential £18m summer deal after a breakthrough in talks with Barcelona.

We’ve been locked in negotiations with the Catalans this month but the deal looked dead after we struggled to agree terms. Arsenal wanted to sign Suarez on a simple six-month loan with the option to buy while Barca wanted either a permanent sale or an obligation to buy clause included in any loan.

Suarez has just 18 months left on his current contract so understandably Barcelona were reluctant to let him leave on loan without securing an a guaranteed fee as his value would decrease by the summer. With Arsenal refusing to agree to an obligation clause, the proposed deal looked dead in the water.

However, news broke this afternoon that a breakthrough has been found with sources telling Football London that Suarez has now agreed to sign a one-year contract extension with Barcelona – which will protect his future value.

The report says Barca have now agreed to let the 25-year-old join Arsenal on an initial loan until the end of the season and we’ll have the option to make the deal permanent for £18m in the summer.

Football London says the final details of the deal are being sorted and this has been supported by a number of outlets in Spain who also say that Suarez is on his way to Arsenal.

It’s a sensible compromise and all parties will no doubt be happy with the outcome. Suarez gets to leave the Nou Camp to play regular football again, Arsenal get a talented player on the cheap without the obligation to buy and Barca offload an out-of-favour player but have protected his future value in-case Arsenal don’t take up the option to buy in the summer.

MORE: Update on Arsenal’s pursuit of £35m winger

Suarez’s arrival will boost our midfield options and he’s also capable of playing out wide – where he played during his year on loan at Sevilla playing under Unai Emery – so he could be a shrewd piece of business.