A statement on the club’s website said on Thursday "The defender will sign a four-year contract with the Blaugrana and will have a buy-out clause of €50 million inserted in to the deal."

The 21-year old defender comes to replace the departed Gianluca Zambrotta and also France defender Lillian Thuram as new coach Josep Guardiola wants to offload him.

Pep is planning for a major overhaul as the Catalan giants had a second successive trophy-less season.

The Blaugrana bosses have already signed Malian midfielder Seydou Keita and Manchester United’s Gerard Pique.