Barcelona on Monday confirmed that defender Thomas Vermaelen has joined Roma on loan for the forthcoming season.
The Serie A club confirmed that there is no fee for the loan, and will have the option of signing the 30-year-old on a permanent basis next summer, ESPN reports.
Vermaelen, 30, joined Barcelona from Arsenal in 2014 but struggled with injuries throughout his time at the Camp Nou.
He was injured during the 2014 World Cup with Belgium and was limited to a single game appearance the following season.
The ex-Arsenal defender played 20 matches last season, scoring once, but started all of Belgium’s games at the European Championship in France.
“I feel very happy to be an AS Roma player, and I’m looking forward to the new challenge,” ESPN quoted Vermaelen as saying on Roma TV.
“It’s a new start for me, in a new country, and I am looking forward to it.”