Barcelona announce shock arrival of Tottenham flop

 

Barcelona have announced they have reached an agreement in principle with Guangzhou Evergrande for midfielder Paulinho.

 

 

The La Liga giants have reached a €40m (£36.4m) agreement with the Chinese Super League side and Paulinho will now undergo a medical on Thursday before being presented as a Barcelona player on the same day.

 

 

Barcelona have announced the 29-year-old will have a €120m (£109m) release clause in his contract, which brings close to a drawn-out saga that has seen Ernesto Valverde’s heavily linked with the midfielder all summer.

 

 

The Brazil international has managed to resurrect his career in China over the last two years after a disastrous two-year stint at Tottenham that saw many label him one of the worst buys in recent Premier League history.

 

 

Paulinho has won possession in the middle third more times than any other player in the last two Chinese Super League campaigns (233).