Arsenal captain Thomas Vermaelen will join Barcelona on a five-year contract, the La Liga club have announced.
The Gunners had already agreed a fee of about £15m with the Catalan club for the Belgium defender.
And Barca have now released a statement saying they have reached an agreement to sign the 28-year-old.
"Thomas Vermaelen is a natural leader who has already captained both Ajax and Arsenal despite being a relative youngster," the Catalan club said.
"He plays at centre-back, and as well as having an impressive physique he is excellent with the ball at his feet and reads the game well."
Thomas Vermaelen's career
Nationality
Belgian
Age
28
Current club
Arsenal (110 Premier League appearances, 13 goals)
Previous clubs
Ajax, Waalwijk
Club honours
Dutch league (2004), Dutch cup (2006, 2007), Dutch Super Cup (2006, 2007), FA Cup (2014)
International caps
47
Vermaelen was a target for Manchester United but they ended their interest after refusing Arsenal's demand to receive a player as part of the deal.
The defender joined Arsenal from Ajax for £10m in 2009 and made 150 appearances in all competitions.
But he was troubled by a series of injuries and lost his place at centre-back last season as Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger favoured Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny as his first-choice pairing.
Vermaelen's form and fitness meant he made just 21 appearances in all competitions last term and Wenger admitted this week that the player needed to move on, saying "we wouldn't stand in his way if he finds an interesting opportunity".
Vermaelen becomes Barca's second centre-back signing this summer after Valencia's Jeremy Mathieu, their first recruit in that position since 2009.
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