OFFICIAL: Barça sign Héctor Bellerín on free transfer

It’s official: Barça signed right-back Héctor Bellerín on a free transfer on Deadline Day. The player agreed to terminate his contract with Arsenal, as confirmed by the official La Liga account on Thursday.

This is the full statement from Barça on the news, confirming the reports that Bellerín has signed a one-year deal with the club:

“FC Barcelona and Héctor Bellerín have reached an agreement to sign the player, after the defender terminated his contract with Arsenal Football Club.

“The player will sign a contract until 30 June 2023 and the buyout clause has been set at 50 million euros.

“FC Barcelona will shortly be announcing the details of the official presentation of Bellerín as a new member of its senior men’s team.

“He will thus be putting the blaugrana jersey back on after an absence of 11 years – the youngster departed La Masia for North London in 2011.”

Bellerín returns to the club where he spent his youth career before moving to Arsenal in 2011. After playing for a decade at the Emirates the former Spain international spent last season at Real Betis, where he enjoyed somewhat of revival and played some of the best football of his career.

Betis really wanted to bring Bellerín back. But they couldn’t make the finances work, and that’s where Barça stepped in and quickly agreed personal terms over the last couple of days. Bellerín accepted a significant salary reduction to return to Camp Nou. Therefore, Xavi Hernández gets his wish of a new right-back after Sergiño Dest joined AC Milan on loan.

Welcome to Barça, Héctor Bellerín!