Barcelona have reached a deal with Roma to sell their 20-year-old striker Bojan Krkic to the Italian side for €12 million, the Catalan club said yesterday.

Under the deal, Barcelona have the right to buy back the player for €13 million at the end of the 2012/13 season.

If Roma decides to block any repurchase, the cost to them would jump to €40 million, the club said in a statement on its website.

The deal was announced a day after the Spanish and European champions reached an accord with Italian club Udinese to buy Chilean striker Alexis Sanchez for €26 million. The 22-year-old will sign a five-year contract on Monday.

Krkic was born in Spain to a Serbian father, who was a professional footballer with Red Star Belgrade, and a Catalan mother.

He made his debut in Barcelona’s first team in the 2006-2007 season when he was just 16, and last December signed an extension on his contract until 2015.

A star for Spain’s Under-21 squad, he made his debut for the senior team in a World Cup qualifier against Armenia in 2008.

But under Barca coach Pep Guardiola, he has failed to find a regular first-team place alongside the likes of Argentine star Lionel Messi and Spain’s David Villa.

“I am 20 years old and I want to continue showing what I was not able to do at Barca because I was not given enough time on the pitch”, Krkic told a news conference yesterday.

“My dream was to triumph with Barca, but I am very happy that another club has given me the chance to continue succeeding.”

He also welcomed the buy-back clause.

“I’m going from one big club to another and all parties have an interest. That makes me happy. I consider myself privileged.”

Guardiola had said on Tuesday that his priority for the upcoming season was signing a forward, with Sanchez his top target.

The club starts a pre-season tour of the United States with a friendly against Manchester United in Landover, Maryland on July 30.

The Spanish league kicks off on August 21, when Barcelona visit Malaga.