FC Barcelona have confirmed the signing of Atletico Madrid midfielder Arda Turan for a fee of around €35 million, on a contract that runs until 2020. 

European champions fend off competition

The likes of Manchester United and recent Premier League champions Chelsea were beaten by the Catalan giants to sign the Turkish midfielder, who had earlier confirmed that he would not be extending his stay at Atletico.

He becomes the third player to leave the Spanish capital this summer, joining the likes of Brazilian defender Miranda who went to Inter Milan and Mario Mandzukic, who joined the Italian double winners Juventus. The transfer was agreed and his agent Ahmet Bullut, who confirmed the news on Turkish sports website 3puan.

Barca retain the option of selling the player back to Atletico before July 20 should the new president, who is highly liked to be Joan Laporta, set to be elected on July 18, not wish to approve his arrival. This is something that is rarely seen across Europe, and means that Atletico are unlikely to spend the money made from him until after that date.

Both current treble winning manager Luis Enrique and president Josep Bartomeu has stated that they wanted to bring the Colchonero to the Camp Nou as the soon to be gone president saying that ''Enrique has earned the faith of everyone at the club and deserves the signing of Arda''.

The new Number 6

Turan cannot play for the Blaugrana until January because of the FIFA transfer ban that was imposed on the club last summer, for breaching FIFA's rules on the transfer of players aged under 18. Sevilla defender Aleix Vidal is in a similar position after signing earlier this summer.

He is expect to get Xavi's number six shirt, after the longtime Catalan legend left Barcelona to move to Qatar last month after many years at the club. Turan arrives as an established player, having played 178 matches and scored 22 goals for Atletico in four seasons following his signing to his fourth club.

His started his career at Turkish giant Galatasaray where he played 197 matches and scored 45 goals. As well as being the captain of his national team where he played 81 matches and scored 14 goals, he enjoyed the majority of his success in the Spanish capital where he won the Copa Del Rey in 2013 and La Liga in 2014, as well the UEFA Europa League and Super Cup in 2012, also became a runners-up in the UEFA Champions League, losing to rivals Real Madrid in 2014.