Barcelona have completed the emergency signing of former Middlesbrough striker Martin Braithwaite.
Former Middlesbrough Striker Martin Braithwaite Joins Barcelona
Exceptional Circumstances Leads to Martin Braithwaite Signing for Barcelona
With the transfer window having now shut, Barcelona had been granted permission to sign the 28-year-old outside of the window.
The permission had been granted after a long-term injury to Ousmane Dembele, who has been sidelined for six months.
It was also given due to the injury sustained by Luis Suarez.
As a result, the Catalan giants have acted in accordance to La Liga rules, and have opted for Braithwaite as their replacement.
The former Boro’ striker joins on a four-and-a-half-year contract from Leganes.
Joining for a fee worth €18m (£15.08m), the 28-year-old made 36 appearances for the Championship side between 2017 and 2019.
Career So Far
Martin Braithwaite joins Barcelona from Leganes, who are struggling at the bottom of La Liga. They are currently 19th in the table with just 19 points; however, they are two points off of safety.
So far this season the Danish international is the club’s top scorer with six goals. Last season saw him score five goals in 21 appearances while he was on loan at Leganes.
Braithwaite joined Leganes from Championship club Middlesbrough. He made the move to the Riverside Stadium in 2017 for a fee believed to be around £9 million. However, he failed to make an impression during his two-year spell with the club, scoring nine times in 40 appearances.
The 28-year-old’s most successful season as a professional came while he was at Toulouse, scoring 12 goals in back-to-back seasons.
Squad Option
Braithwaite is unlikely to force his way into Quique Setien’s side and will prove to be a useful squad option if called upon.
Barcelona are currently second in La Liga, one point behind rivals Real Madrid. As a result, Setien will want to call upon his most trusted players, as they look to secure another league title.
The Catalan giants host Eibar in their next fixture, before travelling to Italy to face Napoli in the Champions League. They then return to Spain for a pivotal, and potential season-defining clash, against Real Madrid.
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