Barça capture Keita from Sevilla

FC Barcelona have strengthened their squad for next season's UEFA Champions League third qualifying round by signing Mali international Seydou Keita from Primera División rivals Sevilla FC on a four-year deal.

Short stay only
Barcelona have agreed to meet the 28-year-old's buy-out clause, believed to be a fee in the region of €14m, to bring to a premature end the midfielder's stay at the Estadio Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán. Keita caught the eye during his solitary campaign with the Andalusian club – having joined last summer after five Ligue 1 seasons with RC Lens – by scoring four goals in 31 league games to help Manuel Jiménez's men to a fifth-place finish and UEFA Cup qualification. Keita, who has inked a contract until 2012 to become the first Malian to play for Barcelona, said: "I'm delighted because Barcelona are a great club. There was interest in me from many teams but I've liked Barça for a long time." The Blaugrana finished third in the table behind Real Madrid CF and Villarreal CF.