Arda Turan will join Barcelona from Atletico Madrid. PHOTO/F365
BARCELONA, July 2- Barcelona on Monday announced the signing of Turkish international midfielder Arda Turan from Atletico Madrid on a five-year deal for a fee that could reach 41 million euros ($45m, £29m).
A club statement said that Barcelona will pay an initial fee of 34 million euros with a potential seven million more in bonuses.
The 28-year-old Turkish international has been a key player in Diego Simeone’s Atletico side in recent seasons after arriving in Spain from Galatasaray in 2011.
And Barcelona said that coach Luis Enrique had requested the signing as the Catalans look to strengthen their midfield following the departure of long-serving Xavi Hernandez.
However, he arrives at the Camp Nou at a time of uncertainty, with a board running club affairs until elections for a new president are held on July 18.
Barcelona therefore added that the signing comes with a clause that will allow the incoming president to sell Turan back to Atletico, albeit doing so will incur a fine of 10 percent of the transfer fee paid.
In any case, Turan will not be able to make his debut for Barcelona until 2016, by which time the reigning European champions will have completed a FIFA-imposed transfer ban.
He is the second new signing made by the Catalans this close season, after a deal was made with Sevilla last month to sign Aleix Vidal.
