Official: Barcelona sign Braithwaite from Leganés
Barcelona have activated their right to sign an emergency striker and sign Martin Braithwaite from Leganés by paying his €18 million release clause.
FC Barcelona have exercised their right to sign an emergency striker after the long-term injury of Ousmane Dembélé. They have signed Martin Braithwaite for €18 million from relegation-threatened Leganés. His release clause is €300 million and he signs until the summer of 2024.
Leganés have already lost Youssef En-Nesyri to Sevilla earlier in the year and thought they had escaped the transfer market with their other star striker still in the squad. The injury to Dembélé meant Barcelona were left short-handed and they had to act.
Barcelona take Leganés' star striker
Luis Suarez will miss the next few months after knee surgery and Dembélé is out for six months. Barcelona were linked with Valencia's Rodrigo but pulled out of that deal with the decision being made that they would not sign a striker.
Leganés asked to sign their own emergency striker but were rejected by the league as it did not fall under the criteria of 'emergency'. They are sitting second last in the league and two points from safety.
"We want to raise our voices, we are in a situation of serious danger," said Martín Ortega, the club's general director. "Barcelona have benefitted from an unfair law. The injured party is Leganés."
Ortega says Braithwaite has been a professional and gentleman during the whole situation and Barcelona have acted correctly too but says the law is unfair.
"Born on 5 June 1991 in the port city of Esbjerg, Denmark, Martin Braithwaite Christensen is a tireless striker who is coming to FC Barcelona after making a strong impression in his one year at Leganés," said Barcelona's official statement.