Barcelona complete signing of English starlet Marcus McGuane from Arsenal
The 18-year-old midfielder will join the Catalans B team on a three-seasons deal.
England Under-19 international Marcus McGuane has completed his move from Arsenal to Barcelona after agreeing a two-and-a-half-year deal with an option to extend it for a further two years to join the La Liga giants' second team.
The 18-year-old midfielder joined the Gunners academy at under-six level and has since progressed through the youth ranks to establish himself as key player for the Under-23 side.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger handed McGuane his first-team debut earlier this season during a Europa League clash with Bate Borisov in September before giving him a second chance to impress in the 1-0 victory over Red Star Belgrade.
The talented midfielder was expected to have more opportunities under Wenger in the near future but he has instead decided to accept an offer from Barcelona to continue his career with the Catalans.
The La Liga giants have not revealed the details of the agreement with Arsenal but they did confirm that the England starlet will have a €25m (£21.9m, $31m) release clause inserted in his new contract at the Nou Camp.
"FC Barcelona and Arsenal have come to an agreement by which the midfielder Marcus McGuane will be transferred to Barça B," the Spanish club confirmed through an official statement on Tuesday [30 January]
"McGuane's deal will keep him at Barça for three seasons, plus two option years. The buyout clause has been set at €25m."
Barcelona B won promotion to the second division of Spanish football last season and are currently in 18th place of the table, only outside of the relegation zone due to the goal difference.
McGuane will try to help them avoid the relegation after becoming the fifth player to join them during a busy January transfer window which have also seen Ballou Jean-Yves Tabla, Martin Hogla, Christian Rivera and Matias Nahuel recruited.
Furthermore, his arrival at the Nou Camp could be seen as Barcelona responding to the Gunners recruiting several of their academy players in recent years, including Cesc Fabregas, Hector Bellerin or Jon Toral.
Yet, the signing of the English starlet comes only days after it emerge that Barcelona are set to lose another promising starlet, with Borussia Dormund ready to meet the €3m release clause of 17-year-old midfielder Sergi Gomez.
In the summer, Jordi Mboula and Eric García left La Masia in similar circumstances after AS Monaco and Manchester City respectively triggered their buy-out clauses.
