Arsenal have sold midfielder Alex Song to Barcelona for €19million. Song is reported to have already agreed to personal terms and will undergo a medical in the next 24 hours.
A statement on the Barcelona website read:
“Barcelona have agreed a deal with Arsenal for the transfer of Alex Song to the Nou Camp. The fee is €19million.
“The Cameroon international midfielder will sign for the next five seasons with a release clause of €80million. On Monday he’ll have a medical and then join the rest of the squad for the official team presentation at the Joan Gamper Trophy.”
Barça, who begin their La Liga campaign against Real Sociedad on Sunday, face Sampdoria in the Joan Gamper Trophy on Monday evening at the Camp Nou.
I don’t get the signing from a Barcelona perspective. Song is similar in style to Sergio Busquets and Javier Mascherano. He is not a center half (which they desperately need) and in my opinion just gives them more of what they already have.
As for Arsenal, Arsene Wenger revealed Song had been keen on a move away from Emirates Stadium. Speaking after this afternoon’s goalless draw against Sunderland, Wenger said:
“He expressed a desire to go to Barcelona. It is frustrating, we have learnt to deal with that. I believe as well that the financial potential of some clubs is massive and that makes a difference.”
The Song sale by Arsenal is a different situation than the Fabregas, Nasri and van Persie sales we have seen in the last 12 months. This was a deal that Arsenal obviously wanted to get done. Stories are coming out that Song and Arsene Wenger did not see eye-to-eye on Song’s performance. Song saw himself as a box-to-box midfielder, while Wenger apparently believed that Song left the Arsenal back-four too exposed last year, and that was a big reason as to why the Gunners conceded so many goals.
