Barcelona have re-signed Hector Bellerin after the defender agreed a contract termination with Arsenal, LaLiga announced on Thursday.
Bellerin was Arsenal's longest-serving player having joined the club as a 16-year-old in 2011 from Barcelona.
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He went on to make 308 appearances for Arsenal, scoring 15 goals, but spent last season on loan at Real Betis, with sources telling ESPN he was intent on a fresh challenge after more than a decade in north London.
Betis were keen on signing Bellerin permanently but continue to have LaLiga registration issues, a problem Barca also encountered but are gradually resolving.
The 27-year-old joins Barca on a free transfer having agreed his exit from Arsenal.
Bellerín vuelve a casa y firmará contrato hasta el 30 de junio de 2023#MadeInLaMasia 💙❤
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_es) September 1, 2022
The Premier League have now negotiated terminations with eight players in the past two years, including Mesut Ozil, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Willian.
Although in certain cases they were a result of tensions within the squad, Bellerin continued to enjoy a healthy relationship with Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta.
Sources told ESPN that Bellerin was the players' representative in talks when the club asked the first-team squad to take a pay cut in 2020 as a result of the financial impact of COVID-19.
