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Loan move to Barca has Boateng beaming

China Daily | Updated: 2019-01-23 09:56
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FC Barcelona's Kevin-Prince Boateng during the presentation in Barcelona, Spain, Jan 22, 2019. [Photo/Agencies]

MADRID - Ghanaian forward Kevin-Prince Boateng has vowed to make the most of his arrival at Barcelona after a loan move for the journeyman from Italian side Sassuolo was sealed on Monday.

The Catalan giant said in a statement it had agreed a deal to take Boateng on loan until the end of the season, with an option to make the move permanent in the summer.

"The agreement includes a $9 million purchase option," the club said.

The arrival of Boateng, 31, will provide much-needed cover for Luis Suarez up front in Ernesto Valverde's squad following the departure of Munir El Haddadi to Sevilla.

The fiery forward has been a successful stopgap many times before, which Barca boss Ernesto Valverde valued in his decision to bring him in.

"He doesn't seem to need much time to adapt, he knows his stuff and he's able to start playing straight away," Valverde said.

"He's comfortable in many positions, as a central striker or playing off another striker, and even deeper too."

The player himself was upbeat about the move when journalists spoke to him at the airport in Italy.

"Barca, I'm coming! I'm sad to leave Sassuolo but this is a great chance," Boateng said, according to a Sky Sports Twitter feed.

"But don't ask me about Real Madrid. I only want to focus on Barcelona and I hope to score at Bernab for the next Clico," Boateng said.

The player will be presented to press and fans on Tuesday afternoon on the Camp Nou pitch, the club revealed.

Born in Germany, the half-brother of Bayern Munich defender Jerome Boateng moved back to Serie A last year after helping Eintracht Frankfurt win the German Cup.

He has scored five goals in 15 games this season for Sassuolo.

"With experience of playing in four of the biggest leagues in Europe, the Premier League, the Bundesliga, Serie A and La Liga, he is a man who has scored goals wherever he has been," a Barcelona statement said.

The former Tottenham Hotspur, AC Milan and Schalke player has previously had a spell in Spain, suiting up for Las Palmas during the 2016-17 season.

Agence France - Presse

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