Barcelona and Leeds United agree Junior transfer

MADRID - FC Barcelona and Leeds United have reached an agreement for the Premier League club to sign Barca left-back Junior Firpo for a fee of around 15 million euros.

The fee means a loss of around three million euros from the 18 million that Barca paid Betis for the 24-year-old in the summer of 2019.

Junior failed to make much of an impression at Barcelona, making just 41 appearances in two years and failing to oust Jordi Alba from the left-back spot, although he did make a handful of appearances as a makeshift central defender.

Last season saw Junior make just seven league appearances for Barca with coach Ronald Koeman showing very little confidence in him and even playing the right-footed Sergino Dest on the left when Alba was injured.

Junior has agreed a four-year deal to play at Elland Road, where his attacking style could fit in with the tactics used by coach Marcelo Bielsa.

The defender is the second player to leave the Camp Nou in just 72 hours as Barca work to lower their wage bill, with winger Francisco Trincao joining Wolverhampton Wanderers on a season's loan a year after signing from Sporting Braga.

Leeds also recently announced the signing of winger Jack Harrison on a permanent deal after three campaigns on loan from Manchester City. The 24-year-old made 36 Premier League appearances last season and has agreed a three-year contract.