With inputs from Associated Press
Italian midfielder Manuel Locatelli has completed his move from Sassuolo to Juventus on an initial loan with an obligation to buy, the Turin club announced on Wednesday.
Just a month after he starred in the European Championship for the Azzurri, the 23-year-old is set to join Juventus on a two-year loan deal and the move will then be made permanent for a fee of up to 35.5 million euros, according to Associated Press inputs.
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Locatelli was greeted by around 100 cheering fans on his arrival and departure from the club’s clinic for his medical on Wednesday. He signed plenty of autographs and posed for photos with supporters.
He had long made clear his desire to move to Juventus and the two clubs had been locked in talks over the terms of the transfer and method of the payment.
Earlier in the transfer window, the Italian was linked with Arsenal, with Sassuolo chief executive Giovanni Carnevalli revealing in June that the Premier League side had made a bid for the player.
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Locatelli is the youngest outfield player to have made at least 100 appearances in Serie A. He has played 144 games for AC Milan and Sassuolo, with eight goals and 11 assists.
Last season he made the most passes and won the most tackles in Serie A.
Following his tremendous season, Locatelli earned a spot in Italy’s squad for Euro 2020 and he was one of the best players in the group stage, scoring two goals against Switzerland in Italy’s second match.
The signing of Locatelli comes as only the second for Juve in the transfer window after bringing in teenage forward Kaio Jorge from Brazilian club Santos. So far it’s the club’s most inactive offseason since 1986 and comes after the club’s worst campaign in 10 years.