Arsenal's Dutch midfielder Giovanni van Bronckhorst has joined Barcelona on a season's loan, the premier league club said on Tuesday.

"I can confirm that he is going on a one-season loan to Barcelona," a club spokeswoman told Reuters.

Van Bronckhorst joined Arsenal from Rangers for 8.5 million pounds ($13.30 million) in June 2001 but his time at the London club was blighted by injury.

The 28-year-old was out for nine months after suffering a cruciate knee ligament injury in February 2002 and has since struggled to regain a first-team place.

He made only 15 starts for the club in all competitions last season, coming on 15 times as a substitute, and scored one goal. He was left out of Arsenal's first two games this season.

Van Bronckhorst, who has 29 caps and played for the Netherlands when Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard was in charge between 1998 and 2000, said the two had spoken last week and his former international coach said he could use the player as a left-back. "It worked out with Rijkaard in those days so I'm very confident of working with him again," he said.

Current coach Dick Advocaat has said, according to media reports, that Van Bronckhorst was one of four England-based Dutch internationals who should look for another club if they wanted a place in the Netherlands squad for Euro 2004.

But Van Bronckhorst said Advocaat's comments had not influenced his decision.

He said he had spoken to Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who said a move to Barcelona would be a good opportunity as the Frenchman could not guarantee him a starting place.

Van Bronckhorst said there had also been interest from Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven and his former club Feyenoord.

"I didn't want to go to PSV or Feyenoord because I still think I can play for a big team -- I'm not ready to return to the Netherlands yet," the midfielder said.

"Playing for Barcelona is like for every boy, it's a dream."

Van Bronckhorst told Arsenal's website: "I've really enjoyed the last two years at Arsenal, me and my family feel very settled here. But what I need now is to play matches especially with the prospect of Holland competing in Euro 2004 at the end of the season.

"I'm really looking forward to joining up with Barcelona. I have great respect for them and the way they play and of course for the coach Frank Rijkaard," he said.

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