Arsenal have secured a loan deal with the option to purchase for Barcelona midfielder Dennis Suarez.

After signing a new contract extension at Camp Nou until 2021, Barcelona midfielder Dennis Suarez will now join Arsenal on loan until the end of the season, with the Gunners having option to purchase him in the summer for a fee of 20 million euros.

The deal brings to an end some difficult negotiations that threatened to be broken off by the initial refusal of the player to extend his contract with Barcelona.

Initially, Barcelona were in favour of Suarez’s transfer to any of the teams interested in him, particularly Betis, in exchange for 20 million euros. But the player himself reportedly only wanted to move to Arsenal. He finally agreed to prolong his deal with Barça when the move to the Emirates was unlocked.

Suárez, who joined Barca from Villarreal for 3.25 million euros in 2016, has fallen out of favour this season due to the arrival of Arturo Vidal and Arthur last summer, and has only played 17 minutes in LaLiga with two short appearances off the bench.

The Spaniard will be confident of more game time under Unai Emery at Arsenal.