Transfer Denis Suarez: Valverde confirms an imminent loan to Arsenal

Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde has confirmed that the loan transfer from Denis Suarez to Arsenal should be completed soon.

Goal understands that the 25-year-old will join the Gunners on loan until the end of the season, after agreeing to extend his contract with Barca until 2021.

Valverde said the agreement was not finalized yet but hoped that this decision would benefit all parties. Suarez is looking forward to playing football after playing two games in La Liga this season.

"I know Denis was in this situation, it's not yet official and we have to wait a bit," Valverde said at a press conference Tuesday, at the request of the latest news about the company. Approach to Arsenal.

"It was a possibility that everyone valued, and we hope everything will be fine."

Valverde insisted that Ivan Rakitic remained a vital part of his projects, although recent reports suggest that Chelsea will try to sign it.

"He's a very important player," he told the midfielder, who pointed out this week that he wanted to stay at Camp Nou. "He has demonstrated over the last few years that there is no doubt, but guess that the future is going too far.

"It is essential for us."

Valverde also suggested that he could still extend his stay at Barca beyond this season, with some reports suggesting that he would leave at the end of the season.

The former boss of Athletic Bilbao said that he was getting along well with President Josep Maria Bartomeu and that he will take stock as soon as the timing is right.

"I always said we had a good" setting "and when there is something to say, we'll say it, without any problem," he explained.

Barca face Sevilla on Wednesday in the return leg of their quarter-final Copa del Rey, in a bid to fill the deficit 2-0 in the first leg.

Valverde hopes that the Camp Nou crowd can help inspire a turnaround, although he admits it will be up to the team to make the most of its supporters.

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"In all the statements we make, it appears that we want to continue in this competition," he said. "We know that in these matches, supporter support is essential, but we have to push them in. It's the team that counts among the fans and that's what we have to do."

"It's a challenge for us. We did not get a good result and we have 90 minutes left to reverse it.

"When the game demands it, we always take a step forward and we will try to succeed."