FC Barcelona has re-signed former academy player Oriol Romeu from Girona on a three-year contract, the La Liga champions announced on Wednesday.
Romeu joined Barcelona’s youth academy, made his senior team debut in 2010 and then transferred to Chelsea the following year. The 31-year-old has also played in La Liga for 2 years, one at each of Valencia and Girona, the Premier League for 9 years (two at Chelsea and seven with Southampton) and the Bundesliga for 1 season with Stuttgart.
Before returning to Barcelona, he spent a year at Girona, where he was a key player, clocking up more than 3,000 minutes to guide to assist them finish 10th, with 20-year-old midfielder Pablo Torre heading the other way on loan.
Romeu has a buy out clause is set at 400 million euros.
“Romeu has great experience and knows the club from his previous spell as a blaugrana and the style of play Xavi Hernandez wants to impress on his team,” Barca said in a statement. “The midfielder has shown what he can do in LaLiga and will look to perform right from the off.”
Romeu is Barcelona’s fourth signing of the offseason, following Ilkay Gundogan and Inigo Martinez while Vitor Roque will join the club next year.