Juve sign Iaquinta

| Wed, 06/20/2007 - 05:39

Juventus have bought Italy striker Vincenzo Iaquinta from Udinese for 11.3 million euros, the Turin club announced Tuesday.

The 27-year-old, a member of the 2006 World Cup-winning squad, is Juventus's biggest signing of the transfer market so far as they prepare for their return to the top flight after winning Serie B.

Iaquinta will bolster Juve's attack in view of the likely departure of France forward David Trezeguet, who is at odds with the club's management.

"There is no doubt that this is another step forward in forming a competitive squad to face the return to Serie A," said Juventus Managing Director Jean-Claude Blanc.

"He is an important player, another world champion who will help write new pages in the history of Juventus," the most successful Italian team ever with a record 27 league titles.

Because of the Calciopoli referee-rigging scandal, June was relegated to the second division for the first time in their history and stripped of the 2005 and 2006 Serie A titles.

Iaquinta, who has 17 Azzurri caps, scored 64 goals in seven seasons at Udinese.

"I have grown year after year and, after seven seasons in Udine, the time has come to make the jump up to the type of challenge that only a big club like Juventus can offer," Iaquinta said.

"I think I'm the right age to make this dream come true. I realize I'm touching the top and that everything will be more difficult from now on because the pressure increases.

"But I like pressure and I can't wait to start this new adventure".

AC Milan seem to have pinched Cagliari's Honduran striker David Suazo from under the noses of cross-town rivals Inter Milan.

On Monday night Milan agreed to buy Suazo from Cagliari for 14 million euros.

The news was a surprise because the 27-year-old agreed personal terms and went through medical checks with Serie A title-holders Inter last week.

But Inter failed to fix a price for the Honduran with Cagliari and Milan have taken advantage of their hesitancy.

The European champions must now reach an agreement with the player, who scored 100 goals in all competitions in eight years at the Sardinian club, although this is not expected to be a problem.

"The player's signature is lacking, but the 27-year-old Honduran forward will wear Milan's shirt next season," said a statement on Milan's website.

Milan Managing Director Adriano Galliani said Tuesday that Suazo's transfer will be the club's last deal of the summer, if it goes through.

He added that Barcelona forward Eto'o "probably isn't coming" - just a day after saying the Cameroon star was the club's top transfer target.

Galliani's comments will also cool speculation that Milan are trying to bring former European Footballer of the Year Andriy Shevchenko back from Chelsea.

Topic: