Barcelona's Carles Alena joins Getafe on loan until end of the season

Barcelona have confirmed midfielder Carles Alena has joined Getafe on loan until the end of the season.

Alena has barely featured for Barça so far this season, making only five appearances in all competitions. The Masia youth product was sent out on loan to Real Betis last season, where he featured prominently, and will be hopeful of a similar spell with Getafe.

The Catalan club confirmed his departure via a statement published on their website, which reads: "FC Barcelona and Getafe CF have reached an agreement for the loan of the player Carles Alena until the end of the 2020/21 season. The Madrid club will take over the player's wages."

Getafe will be hoping that their new signing can help them pull away from the La Liga relegation places. After finishing eighth last term, Jose Bordalas' side have struggled this time out and are currently 16th, just one point above the drop zone having played a game more than 18th placed Elche.

Ronald Koeman will be hoping Alena's departure will not be the only move that Barça makes this month.

He has been pressuring the club to sign a striker recently, with both Antoine Griezmann and Martin Braithwaite struggling to full the void left by Luis Suarez's summer exit. However, this may be difficult as Barcelona are in financial disarray off the field and the presidential elections are looming at the end of the month.

Things have not been much better on the pitch either. The Blaugrana have made a pitiful start to the season and currently sit fifth in La Liga, ten points adrift on leaders Atletico Madrid. They also finished second in their Champions League group, meaning they face a tricky meeting with last year's finalists Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16.