FC Barcelona and AS Roma have reached an agreement for the transfer of French forward Ludovic Giuly. Roma have agreed to pay a fee of €3.2 million with an extra performance-related fee of €1.2 million. Giuly passed his medical this afternoon and the signing was completed this evening.

Giuly signed for Barça in the summer of 2004 from Monaco. In his first season he performed well, his speed on the right running in behind the defence onto long passes caused defences problems. He ended his first season with eleven goals and a league winner’s medal. In his second season the rise of Leo Messi began to see him left on the bench, but an injury to Messi gave him some opportunities in the final third of the season. He responded by scoring the vital goal at the San Siro to beat Milan in the Champion’s League semi final and was rewarded by playing in the 2-1 victory over Arsenal in the final in Paris.

His final season saw his chances limited by Messi, and at 31 it is now time for him to move on if he wants to play more. I wish him all the best at Roma.