Barcelona sign Kevin Prince-Boateng on season-long loan with option to buy

Barcelona have signed the former Tottenham and Portsmouth midfielder Kevin Prince-Boateng on a season-long loan from Italian side Sassuolo.

Boateng, 31, whose brother Jerome plays for Germany, returns to La Liga having played for Las Palmas for the 2016/17 season.

The deal also includes the option for Barcelona to buy Ghana international Boateng for £7.1 million in the summer.

Speaking about the decision to move to Barcelona, Boateng said: "It's a very sad day. Because I'm saying goodbye to an amazing group and club like Sassuolo that gave me a lot.

"Going to Barcelona is a huge opportunity and an incredible feeling. I was very stressed today but I wanted to say goodbye to everyone, I respect Sassuolo.

"I remember my debut [with AC Milan] in the Gamper trophy against Barca, and the emotions run high."

The move to Barcelona comes as something of a surprise given Boateng the relative status of the clubs he has played for in the last few years.

Since leaving AC Milan in 2016, Boateng has represented La Palmas, Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt and Sassuolo.

Boateng, a controversial figure whose foul on Chelsea's Michael Ballack in the 2010 FA Cup final saw the German ruled out of the World Cup that summer, has moved clubs 10 times in his 15-year career since he came through the ranks at Hertha Berlin.