Juventus sign Uruguayan midfielder Bentancur from Boca Juniors

Juventus have signed Boca Juniors young midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur for 9.5 million euros ($10.19 million), offering the Under-20 Uruguay footballer a five-year contract starting from July 1.

"Juventus Football Club announces that the agreement with Boca Juniors for the definitive acquisition of the registration rights of the player Rodrigo Bentancur Colman has been finalised. The transfer fee of 9.5 million euros will be payable in two financial years," Juventus said in a statement on Friday.

"The purchase value may increase in the course of the duration of the contract on achieving given conditions based on a certain number of official games played by the player," it added.

"Moreover, in case of a later transfer of the player, Boca Juniors will be entitled to receive 50 per cent of the amounts collected by Juventus."

Juventus had a first refusal option to sign the 19-year-old as part of the deal in which they sold veteran striker Carlos Tevez to the Argentine club.

Bentancur, a reported transfer target of Real Madrid and Manchester United, grew up in Penarol's youth setup before transferring to Boca Juniors at the age of 14.

The midfielder, comfortable with using both feet, made his first-team debut for Boca in April 2015 and he ended up making 18 appearances in the Primera Division, a further six in the Copa Argentina and another in the Copa Libertadores during his maiden campaign at the club, winning the league and cup double in the process.

The following season, Bentancur turned out 19 times for the Xeneises and scored his first goal on 21 February 2016 in the league against Newell's Old Boys.

In the season that ended in December 2016, his third as a professional, Bentancur earned a call-up to Uruguay's Under 20s, for whom he has made eight appearances and found the net against Bolivia.

Bentancur has shown in his early years that he is capable of playing in various positions across the middle of the park, from a holding midfielder to a 'trequartista' deployed just behind the forwards, according to the Juventus website.

--IANS

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