Denis Suarez has joined Arsenal on loan until the end of this season and has extended his contract with parent club Barcelona until June 2021, the La Liga champions have confirmed.

The ex-Manchester City and Villarreal midfielder has been linked to a reunion with his former Sevilla boss Unai Emery throughout the January transfer window.

Arsenal will pay Suarez’s salary during his time at Emirates Stadium and the switch contains an option to buy, even though Barca have extended the 25-year-old’s deal by 12 months.

Since the Catalan giants exercised a buyback clause to sign Suarez from Villarreal in 2016, Suarez has made 71 appearances across all competitions and scored eight goals.

The transfer is Arsenal’s maiden move in the mid-season window and their first signing since announcing that head of recruitment Sven Mislintat will leave the club on February 8.

Emery would also appear to be in the market for a winger, with speculation over recent days suggesting Inter’s Croatia international Ivan Perisic is an Arsenal target along with Belgium’s Yannick Carrasco, who is currently plying his trade with Dalian Yifang in the Chinese Super League.