Leeds have signed Barcelona full-back Junior Firpo on a four-year deal for £13million. The 24-year-old has spent the last two seasons at the Camp Nou but turned out just seven times in the league for Ronald Koeman’s side last term, but did play a considerable role in the Catalans’ Copa del Rey triumph earlier this year.
In signing Firpo, Marcelo Bielsa has boosted the Whites’ left-back options with Ezgjan Alioski now out of contract.
The deal is set to be the latest in a long-line of departures for Barcelona this summer, who are struggling with financial difficulties this summer.
The Spanish side announced a debt of £1billion in February and several audits are circling the club to determine the extent of their financial damage ahead of the transfer window.
The LaLiga giants are looking to shift players as they try to reduce their huge wage bill, and reportedly keen to release Samuel Umtiti and Miralem Pjanic and loan out Philippe Coutinho – as they still need to find the money to offer Lionel Messi a new contract.
Firpo joined Barcelona in the summer of 2019 for a £15million fee with £10million in add-ons after starring for Real Betis.
But the presence of Jordi Alba damaged his chances of starting regularly for Barcelona, but having three managers during Firpo’s time in Catalonia has no doubt disrupted things as well.
The manager who signed Firpo, Ernesto Valverde, was sacked in January 2020, before his former boss at Betis Quique Setien was dismissed after just seven months. Firpo had made 23 appearances in all competitions in his debut campaign at Barca in 2019-20.
More to follow.
