Barcelona finally offload flop midfielder in late deal with Turkish club

FC Barcelona have finally found a way to free themselves from the services and the hefty wages of Miralem Pjanic this season. Despite reaching the end of the summer transfer window in Spain, the Catalan giants were able to broker a deal in Turkey, where the transfer window remains open. The midfielder will now be joining Turkish side Besiktas on a loan deal that lasts for one season with no option to buy.

Pjanic came to the Camp Nou in 2020 from Serie A side Juventus, and hardly featured in manager Ronald Koeman's lineup. The situation was not expected to change for him this season, and Barcelona had been clear that they were looking for a way to offload him from the beginning of the summer transfer window.

Earlier reports linked the Bosnian to a Juventus comeback, with talks between the two clubs continuing until the final days of the transfer window. However, by August 31, no deal was reached and Pjanic appeared to have been on his way to a season on the bench. However, the Blaugrana would have none of it, because that would mean they will be paying the wages of a player they will hardly use.

Luckily for them, the Turkish transfer window was still open and a deal with Besiktas was finalised in time.

Pjanic only appeared in 30 matches during his first season with Barcelona, with only 13 starts. He found himself in a difficult position, as he had to elbow for a spot in the starting lineup against the likes of Sergio Busquets, Frenkie de Jong and Pedri.

Barcelona will be happy to have successfully offloaded another high earner, on top of the salary deductions that were accepted by first team players who will remain. President Joan Laporta has been able slash 145 million euros off their wage bill at the last minute, even when things appeared to be going downhill in the final days of the transfer window.