Barcelona 'have £34m option on Abel Ruiz'

Barcelona reportedly agreed a £34m buyback option with Braga before allowing Abel Ruiz to join the Portuguese club in the final stages of the January transfer window.

The 20-year-old completed a move to Braga on transfer deadline day, initially on loan with the view to the deal becoming permanent for £7m at the end of the 2019-20 campaign.

However, according to Cadena Ser, Barca hold a £34m buyback clause on the Spaniard for three of those years, which they can activate in any transfer window during the agreed period.

Ruiz only made one first-team appearance for the Spanish champions and had not been included in a single matchday squad in La Liga during the current season before moving on.

The Catalan giants are currently desperately short in the final third, though, with France international Ousmane Dembele set to undergo an operation on yet another hamstring problem.

Luis Suarez also faces a battle to play again this season following knee surgery, and Quique Setien's side are allegedly attempting to secure an emergency deal for a forward to ease their problems in attack.