Bojan Krkic Leaves Barcelona and Camp Nou for Roma and Stadio Olimpico

Serie A giants AS Roma have finally sealed the signing of Spain under Under-21 star Bojan Krkic from La Liga Champions Barcelona in a unique deal worth an initial €12 million ($17.3 million).

Under the terms of the agreement, Krkic will join Roma for a two years for the initial fee. At the conclusion of the 2012-13 season, Barcelona will then purchase the player back for a fee of €13 million euros ($18.6 million).

However, should Krkic’s move to AS Roma prove successful, the Italian side will have the option to sign the 20-year-old on a permanent deal for €28 million ($40.2 million).

As an official statement from the Barcelona explained "The buyback clause can be blocked by AS Roma but in that case the total cost of the transfer would be €40 million.”

The deal represents a first in European soccer. Recent years have seen clubs like Juventus operating on a system of purchasing players on an initial season long loan with a built in option to sign the player on a permanent basis for a predetermined fee.

However, it is widely believed that Barcelona were keen not to sever ties with Bojan Krkic, who has come up from an early age through their illustrious youth system.

Krkic, who began playing for the Barcelona’s youth sides at the age of just nine scoring a reported 900 goals over five and half years of youth football.

A single season in the Barcelona B side produced 10 goals in 22 appearances and when Krkic made his first team debut, a year later, he instantly impressed.

In October 2007, Krkic’s goal against Villarreal made him the Catalan’s youngest La Liga goal scorer at the age of just 17 years and 53 days.

Yet despite Barcelona’s recent years of unrivalled success under Pep Guardiola, Bojan Krkic saw his playing time reduced to more of a cameo role, as the youngster watched stars like David Villa and Pedro usurp him in the Barca ranks.

"As a fan Pep Guardiola is the best coach in the world, but personally things happened to me that hurt me and I can't say the same thing," Bojan said in a press conference.

Indeed, Bojan had to watch on as he missed out on Barcelona’s champions league final victories under Guardiola in 2009 and 2011 and took a parting shot at Guardiola:

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"I am still smarting from the final in London. Winning the Champions League final was important to me and it hurt me a lot that I didn't play. It was the second time it happened to me.

"He (Guardiola) wasn't fair with me on several occasions and that is one of the reasons that I decided to leave.

"I spoke with Pep (Guardiola) a lot but things between him and I weren't very clear and what was clear was that I wasn't playing."

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The 20-year-old can look forward to a fresh start at the newly invigorated AS Roma.

Recently purchased by new wealthy owner Thomas DiBenedetto, the Serie A club has already taken significant strides towards copying the recent Barcelona model for success by signing up the Catalan’s B team coach and former midfield star Luis Enrique as their manager.

The arrival of Bojan Krkic alongside another exciting young stars like River Plate’s Erik Lamela signals the beginning of a new era at the Stadio Olimpico with the Roman’s emerging as real contenders for major honours next season.