Arsenal agree to sell Song to Barcelona
Reuters - Saturday 18 August 2012, 17:39
Arsenal have agreed terms with
Barcelona to sell Cameroon international midfielder Alex Song to
the Spanish side for 19 million euros, the
Premier League club said on Saturday.
Song, 24, will travel to Spain to agree personal terms and
have a medical before finalising the move, Arsenal said on their
website.
Last season's La Liga runners up Barca said the player would
sign a five-year contract and have a release clause of 80
million euros.
Song will take his medical on Monday and is expected be
presented along with the rest of the Barca squad in a friendly
against Sampdoria at the Nou Camp later that day, the Catalan
side said.
He is expected to provide cover in the centre of defence, a
priority new coach Tito Vilanova laid out when he stepped up
from assistant to replace Pep Guardiola last season.
Barca have struggled at the back recently with ageing
captain Carles Puyol, who is 34, struggling with a string of
injuries, and Eric Abidal out as he recovers from a liver
transplant.
Sergio Busquets and Javier Mascherano have dropped back from
midfield to play alongside Gerard Pique at the back, and Song
will provide further options to fulfil a similar role.
He is Barca's second major signing of the close season
after they landed Spain full-back Jordi Alba from Valencia for
14 million euros.
Arsenal signed Song from French side SC Bastia in August
2005 and made 205 appearances for the Londoners, scoring 10
goals.
Song was not named in Arsenal's squad for their opening
Premier League game of the season against Sunderland, which
finished 0-0.