Valencia have finally confirmed midfielder Andre Gomes' transfer to Barcelona almost a week after the Catalan club first announced a deal had been agreed.
Barca announced on Thursday last week that they had agreed to sign Gomes, who had been linked with a €65 million move to Real Madrid, without giving any details of the transfer fee for the 22-year-old.
Valencia remained silent on the deal amid various reports detailing the total amount Barca were to pay for Gomes, with El Pais providing a reminder that the Portugal international arrived at Valencia as a player part-owned by club owner Peter Lim's investment fund Meriton Holdings, while Mundo Deportivo said former club Benfica could get 25 percent of the profit on his €15m switch two years ago.
Gomes spoke publicly about the move, issuing a farewell statement to Los Che fans via social media, and on Tuesday evening, when he was at the Camp Nou for the first part of his medical, Barca released a statement saying the fee involved was €35m plus up to €20m in incentives.
The club said Gomes' five-year contract with Barca will also include personal incentives "worth up to €15 million should he win multiple Ballon d'Or awards."
On Wednesday morning, Valencia finally released a club statement confirming the move and said the club had waited before making an announcement due to the desire to act with "rigour and prudence" in the transfer market.
Welcome to @FCBarcelona!
Benvingut al Barça @aftgomes!
¡Bienviendo al Barça!
Bem-vindo André!#AndréGomesFCB pic.twitter.com/pCfrss8tFl- FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) July 27, 2016
"Valencia Club de Futbol has finalised an agreement with FC Barcelona for the transfer of Andre Gomes, after the player completed a medical examination and the relevant contracts were signed this morning," the statement read.
"The club wish to clarify to fans that there had been no announcement by the club before today, as a medical test had not been undertaken and both parties are yet to sign the contract. The rigour and prudence that Valencia CF apply to the procedure of transfers did not permit the announcement of the deal before all aspects were fully completed and contracted."
Gomes was scheduled to speak to the media at the Camp Nou on Wednesday afternoon.