Barcelona and PSV strike deal for Afellay
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
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Midfielder Ibrahim Afellay is expected to join FC Barcelona when the transfer window opens after the Spanish champions agreed a reported €3m deal with his club PSV Eindhoven.
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FC Barcelona have reached an agreement with PSV Eindhoven for the services of midfielder Ibrahim Afellay who is expected to sign for the Liga champions in January.
The 24-year-old Dutch international will move to Camp Nou in a reported €3m deal once the transfer window reopens in the new year. His impending departure from PSV comes after eight seasons in the first-team ranks, which so far have yielded 34 goals in 154 Eredivisie games.
Voted the Netherlands' young player of the year in 2007, and capped 30 times by his country, Afellay was a member of the Oranje squads at UEFA EURO 2008 and the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Before completing the signing of Afellay, Barcelona coach Josep Guardiola will look to seal his club's place in the UEFA Champions League knockout stage by overcoming Panathinaikos FC and FC Rubin Kazan in their remaining Group D fixtures. PSV need only a draw with UC Sampdoria on 1 December to rubber-stamp their UEFA Europa League round of 32 spot.
