Bundesliga outfit Schalke have confirmed they have completed the signing of Barcelona's winger Ibrahim Afellay on a one-year loan deal.
Negotiations were understood to have come to a successful conclusion on Friday morning and Afellay has signed the necessary documentation after passing a medical.
Barca boss Tito Vilanova recently suggested that the Dutchman was not in his plans for the 2012-13 campaign and the 26-year-old has been constantly linked with a move over the summer.
Inter were believed to have been one of the clubs interested in him with Arsenal also understood to have made enquiries.
However, Afellay has been aware for some time that his first-team chances could be limited at the Camp Nou, but made it clear he would listen to offers so long as he could return to Barcelona for the 2013-14 season
Afellay joined Barcelona from PSV in January 2011 for a reported fee of €3m,but a serious knee injury meant he was sidelined for the majority of the following season, starting just one La Liga game.
