Arsenal have reportedly agreed to let Hector Bellerin leave the club and re-sign for Barcelona on a free transfer.
The 27-year-old left Barca's La Masia academy in 2011 to sign for the Gunners and has since registered nine goals and 29 assists in 239 appearances for the club in all tournaments.
However, Bellerin has now fallen behind Cedric Soares and Takehiro Tomiyasu in the Emirates pecking order and has not made a Premier League matchday squad this term.
Reports earlier on deadline day claimed that Barcelona were closing in on the signing of Bellerin after his proposed return to Real Betis on a permanent deal fell through.
Now, The Athletic has revealed that Arsenal will sanction Bellerin's move to Barcelona on a free transfer, but his contract will not be officially terminated contrary to previous reports.
Instead, Arsenal will retain a sell-on clause, and Bellerin is accepting a significant pay cut in order to return to the club he spent eight years at as a youth player between 2003 and 2011.
The Spain international returned to La Liga last season with Real Betis and recorded five assists in 32 games for Los Verdiblancos, winning the Copa del Rey in the process.
Ben Knapton
