Almeria have secured the services of a key Barcelona star on a temporary basis with an option to buy, adding quality to their squad.
The Spanish second-division club has also secured an option to purchase 50 per cent of the player’s economic rights next year.
The move comes as Barcelona continue reshaping their squad and making difficult decisions regarding several players returning from loan spells.
The agreement is expected to give Almeria a talented addition while allowing Barcelona to retain significant control over the goalkeeper’s future.
The player completing the move is Aron Yaakobishvili, who has signed his contract with Almeria, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
The 20-year-old Hungarian goalkeeper spent last season on loan at Andorra, where he made a positive impression as a regular starter for much of the campaign.
His performances convinced several observers that he needed another environment where he could receive consistent first-team opportunities.
Yaakobishvili returned to Barcelona during the summer and was involved in the first-team squad during pre-season.
He also featured in friendly matches, but the club’s goalkeeping hierarchy made his path to regular football increasingly difficult.
With Joan Garcia expected to take the starting position and Wojciech Szczesny remaining as experienced cover, Yaakobishvili would likely have been restricted to the third-choice role had he stayed in Catalonia.
The decision to join Almeria therefore represents a logical step for the youngster.
The agreement differs from earlier reports suggesting that Yaakobishvili could leave permanently for a fee of approximately €2–3 million.
Instead, Barcelona have opted for a loan arrangement with a future buy option covering only half of his economic rights.
This structure ensures that the Catalan club will not completely lose control of his progression or potential future value.
With Yaakobishvili now heading to Almeria, Barcelona’s goalkeeping department is becoming considerably more streamlined.
