‘He Will Sign:’ Agent Confirms Defender Will Join Barcelona

Getty Xavi Simons says Barca don't spend much time in the gym.

Hector Bellerin’s agent has confirmed the 27-year-old right-back is set to sign for Barcelona on deadline day a on a free transfer after leaving Premier League side Arsenal.

Albert Botines spoke to the press after landing in Barcelona on Thursday, September 1 and revealed Bellerin will join Xavi’s side for the 2022-23 campaign, as reported by Mundo Deportivo.

“We are working on it, with the paperwork and whether Héctor, who is still in London, can fly out today or tomorrow,” he said. “In principle he will sign for one season, although we are finishing up the details.”

Botines also admitted that Bellerin had taken a pay-cut to join Barcelona. “Bellerín makes a great effort to sign for Barça, since at Arsenal he had a very high salary,” he added. “We had been talking for days, but it wasn’t until noon that we found out we were coming.”

Bringing in a new right-back has been the club’s top priority in the final days of an eventful transfer window. Xavi has been short of options after making it clear he was not counting on Sergino Dest by leaving the defender out of his first three matchday squads.

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Bellerin Back At Barcelona

Bellerin will arrive back in Barcelona after terminating his contract at Arsenal which still had a year left to run. The move sees the defender return to the club where he started his career. The defender left Barcelona in 2011 and opted to move to north London.

The right-back is now back at Barcelona to take over from Dest who is set to join AC Milan on loan after being deemed surplus to requirements by coach Xavi.

Bellerin is an experienced right-back who knows La Liga well and spent last season on loan with Real Betis, winning the Copa del Rey with Manuel Pellegrini’s side.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has reported Bellerin will sign a one-year deal at Barcelona with no option to extend. The contract also include a “really big salary cut” for the right-back.

Barcelona To Sign Marcos Alonso Too?

Bellerin is not the only full-back expected to join Barcelona before the window closes. Chelsea left-back Marcos Alonso will also arrive in a deal that will see striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang move the other way.

Romano reports the Blues will pay a €14 million fee plus Alonso for the striker. Aubameyang has been a hit since joining from Arsenal in January but has slipped down the pecking order after the arrival of Robert Lewandowski.

Barcelona coach Xavi had said he wanted Aubameyang to stay but the club will be aware it’s a good deal financially, given the attacker has already turned 33 and arrived on a free transfer.

The Catalans have certainly been busy on deadline day and have also confirmed the exit of Martin Braithwaite. The Denmark international has departed after agreeing to terminate his contract at the Camp Nou.

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