Argentina’s Higuain joins Milan from Juve
Bonucci returns to Turin after one year
>> MILAN: Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain on Thursday moved to AC Milan in a three-player swap deal between the seven-time European champions and Juventus that will see Leonardo Bonucci return to Turin after just a season away.
Milan signed 30-year-old Higuain on a one-year loan deal worth a reported €18 million that gives them the option to buy the striker next summer for a further €36 million.
Italy centre-back Bonucci has been swapped for promising Mattia Caldara just weeks after Caldara arrived at Juve following his transfer from Atalanta, which was agreed in January 2017.
Higuain left Juventus, where he won two Serie A titles and scored 40 goals in 76 league appearances, following the shock signing of Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid that made the Argentine surplus to requirements.
Italian media reported t hat Higuain’s transfer had been structured to allow Milan to comply with Uefa’s Financial Fair Play regulations, which they fell foul of last season.
Last season, Milan scored only 56 goals in Serie A, a figure which put them at a serious disadvantage compared to major rivals Juventus, Napoli and Roma as well as bitter city rivals Inter Milan who all claimed Champions League places.
“A new adventure begins,” said Higuain after undergoing his medical.
The Argentinian’s move opened the door for Bonucci to return to Turin, where the defender won six league titles and reached two Champions League finals.
The 31-year-old Bonucci returns to Juve after just one season with Milan, who could only finish sixth last season and missed the Champions League despite spending over €200 million on new players last summer.
A reported €42 million of that were spent on Bonucci, who was made captain but fell short of the imperious form he showed at Juve.
“Turin and Juventus are home for me. It’s difficult to imagine that this has happened,” said Bonucci. “I am delighted and excited to be back.”
Milan are trying to bounce back after a troubled spell following the sale of the club to Chinese owners in April last year, but poor performances on the pitch were compounded in recent months by fears over their financial survival.
Uefa booted them out of next season’s Europa League for violating the financial regulations, only for the ban to be overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on July 20 following hedge fund Elliott Management’s takeover earlier in the month.
The American firm took control after the Chinese consortium led by Li Yonghong that ran Milan, long rumoured to be struggling financially, failed to repay €32 million lent by Elliott.
Elliot has pledged to inject €50 million to bring financial stability to the club.
Meanwhile, West Ham United’s busy transfer window continued as the Premier League club signed Portuguese forward Xande Silva from Vitoria de Guimaraes on Thursday.
The 21-year-old, who played 26 times in the Portuguese top flight last season, has signed a threeyear contract.
“This is a very important moment for me. This is a new experience for me, out of Portugal. I am very happy to be here at West Ham,” Silva said on West Ham’s website.
Silva joins a host of new signings the club have made since Manuel Pellegrini took charge after the end of last season.
Winger Felipe Anderson joined from Lazio in a club record deal believed to be £36 million and the club also splashed out a reported £22 million on French defender Issa Diop.
West Ham have also signed Paraguay defender Fabian Balbuena, England midfielder Jack Wilshere, Ukraine winger Andriy Yarmolenko and Poland keeper Lukasz Fabianski during the summer transfer window.