Riquelme to join FC Barcelona

Boca Juniors say FC Barcelona can buy Juan Riquelme for £20 million and a final deal is expected next month.

FC Barcelona want Riquelme for next season and Boca have now named their price for the midfielder whose transfer to the Catalan club has been under discussion for more than a year. No other club can get involved in the purchase of the midfielder now that Baco have named their price and Barca have agreed the finances of the deal.

Barca have confirmed a finished deal is expected soon through spokesman Gabriel Masfurroll.

"The deal has not been completed because we still need the agreement of the player" Masfurroll said.

"There is an agreement between Barcelona and Boca Juniors, though. A lot of clubs were interested in this player but Barcelona are in position to do it."

AC Milan also spent a lot of time last year trying to sign Riquelme but the player - who has thirty days now to complete talks over personal terms - always favoured Barca.

Former Argentinos Juniors star Riquelme is rated as the best player in Argentina for some time and the 22 year old helped Boca to win the Copa Libertadores trophy in July.

The new Barcelona star is one of ten children from San Fernando and was found playing on a rubbish field near his home. He inherited Diego Maradona's number 10 shirt at Boca when he signed for them and is idolised by the club's fans. Franchi is also the former agent and business manager of Maradona and his latest prospect was voted player of the season by football writers last year.

Two years ago he refused to move to Real Madrid and has not been keen to move abroad but pay difficulties last year hastened his exit.

Franchi was in talks with Boca for more than a year to secure the well paid long term contract that Riquelme instructed him to try and get but the Argentine club knew that the play maker could bring in at least £20 million in a transfer.

Boca president Mauricio Macri and executive Pedro Pompilio did produce the long term plan that Franchi and Riquelme were looking for which ends in 2003 but Barca have thirty days to finalise the details on a five year contract for Riquelme to join in the summer according to Macri.

"This is great business for Boca. We bought him for $840,000 and we're selling him for $26 million" Macri said today.

He helped Boca to ther apertura title last year as well as Copa Libertadores and Toyota Cup titles.

The player himself has talked up a move to FC Barcelona recently describing it as his "dream".

He made his debut for Boca at age 18 when former World Cup winning coach Carlos Bilardo promoted him to the first team and Riquelme helped Argentina's under-20 team win the 1997 South American and world championships.