Sports

Dani Alves to join Juventus on three-year deal

By Nuel Nonny | 2nd June 2016

The Brazilian full-back stunned the double winners by agreeing a three-year deal with Juventus, a move that he can complete for free after inserting a break clause into his new contract signed last summer.

“Alves has decided to leave us,” said Barcelona’s sporting director Robert Fernandez in his end-of-season press conference.

“Dani is fantastic but he’s leaving because of his own decision and we have got to respect that.

“It’s a very personal decision that we accept and there’s nothing more to say.”

Arsenal’s Hector Bellerin is Barca’s first choice to replace the 33-year-old defender, but the Gunners have rebuffed all enquiries and claim he is not for sale under any circumstances.

The player himself admitted he was “happy” to hear of interest from his former club but Barcelona, who are also in the market for a central defender and forward this summer, are assessing alternatives to Bellerin and have made contact with Valencia over Joao Cancelo.

Bayern Munich are also understood to have offered right-back Rafinha to the Nou Camp club on a cut-price deal.