Barcelona confirm newly-signed Miralem Pjanic has tested positive for coronavirus

Having secured a move to Spanish giants Barcelona, Bosnian midfielder Miralem Pjanic was on his way to join the squad for pre-season training but found himself testing positive for coronavirus. The Pjanic COVID-19 confirmation was given by the club on Twitter with Pjanic's arrival to Spain ahead of the next season now delayed by 15 days due to the mandatory quarantine period.

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Barcelona confirm Miralem Pjanic COVID-19 reports 

Barcelona released an official statement confirming the Miralem Pjanic COVID-19 reports. The statement said that the former Juventus midfielder underwent tests for the virus on Saturday after feeling unwell for the past few days. Pjanic has been isolating at home but is in good health, added Barcelona. The club also confirmed that he will arrive in Barcelona only after a span of 15 days due to quarantine. 

Earlier, Miralem Pjanic himself confirmed the COVID-19 reports. The midfielder took to Twitter to assert that he has tested positive for the virus but is asymptomatic. He claimed that he was calm and following the stipulated medical guidelines to deal with the situation, while also stating that one should not take things for granted. 

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Miralem Pjanic-Arthur swap deal sealed in June 

Miralem Pjanic agreed a move to Barcelona in June in a deal involving Brazilian midfielder Arthur Melo, who will join Juventus. The deal is estimated to hover around €65 million ($76 million) in transfer fees for Pjanic. Although Arthur was against any move involving him in a transfer away from Barcelona, the Brazilian ultimately agreed to a reported €72 million ($84 million) transfer to the Serie A champions.

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Miralem Pjanic's Barcelona arrival delayed 

Barcelona's first-team players are currently on holiday after their disastrous Champions League exit at the hands of Bayern Munich in the quarter-final of the Champions League. The team is expected to return to training on August 31 under the supervision of newly appointed manager Ronald Koeman. 

Having tested positive for COVID-19, Miralem Pjanic will be unavailable for Barcelona until September 7, less than a week before the LaLiga season kicks off. However, Barcelona will not be playing until the third week of the competition due to their participation in the final phase of the Champions League. 

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Image courtesy: Barcelona Twitter