Juventus have signed Croatia defender Dario Knezevic on a season-long loan deal from Livorno, the club confirmed on Monday.
Knezevic becomes the second reinforcement for the Bianconeri defence after Olof Mellberg's switch to Turin from Aston Villa, which was agreed in January.
The 26-year-old Knezevic spent two seasons at Livorno following a move from his hometown club NK Rijeka in 2006, but heads for the exit door following the Tuscan side's relegation to Serie B.
Knezevic played in Croatia's first three games of Euro 2008 before an injury picked up against Poland ruled him out of the quarter-final against Turkey, which finished in elimination on penalties.
mfl
The move has outraged Juve's neighbours Torino, who claim to have also agreed a deal with Livorno for the player.
Torino president Urabano Cairo told Italian newspaper La Stampa that up until as late as Sunday night he believed the player would be signing for his club, and as such his club would be reporting Livorno to the Italian league authorities.
"Livorno's president Aldo Spinelli had a deal with me and I will be declaring it to the Lega Calcio," said Cairo.
"We will see what happens. I spoke to Spinelli last night and I thought that he had a strange air about him, but he reassured me.
"You can't sell the same player twice. If I did that with a house I would be reported for fraud."
Despite the claims, Knezevic was still unveiled as a Bianconero player on Monday afternoon.
At the press conference to mark the player's arrival, Juventus sporting director Alessio Secco insisted he was unconcerned by the protests coming from their city rivals and was adamant his club had done nothing untoward.
"Knezevic has only signed one contract, and that is ours," he said.
"We approached the player 10 days ago and the contract we have is the only one that has the signatures of both the player and Livorno.
"As far as the federation is concerned it is all above board."
For his part, Knezevic preferred not to discuss the furore surrounding his move, speaking instead of his delight to be at Juventus.
"Since I was a baby I have longed to play for a big club and Juventus is a dream come true," he said.
"I'm here because in the past two years, perhaps, I must have done something good."
The 26-year-old Knezevic spent two seasons at Livorno following a move from his hometown club NK Rijeka in 2006, but heads for the exit door following the Tuscan side's relegation to Serie B.
Knezevic played in Croatia's first three games of Euro 2008 before an injury picked up against Poland ruled him out of the quarter-final against Turkey, which finished in elimination on penalties.
mfl
The move has outraged Juve's neighbours Torino, who claim to have also agreed a deal with Livorno for the player.
Torino president Urabano Cairo told Italian newspaper La Stampa that up until as late as Sunday night he believed the player would be signing for his club, and as such his club would be reporting Livorno to the Italian league authorities.
"Livorno's president Aldo Spinelli had a deal with me and I will be declaring it to the Lega Calcio," said Cairo.
"We will see what happens. I spoke to Spinelli last night and I thought that he had a strange air about him, but he reassured me.
"You can't sell the same player twice. If I did that with a house I would be reported for fraud."
Despite the claims, Knezevic was still unveiled as a Bianconero player on Monday afternoon.
At the press conference to mark the player's arrival, Juventus sporting director Alessio Secco insisted he was unconcerned by the protests coming from their city rivals and was adamant his club had done nothing untoward.
"Knezevic has only signed one contract, and that is ours," he said.
"We approached the player 10 days ago and the contract we have is the only one that has the signatures of both the player and Livorno.
"As far as the federation is concerned it is all above board."
For his part, Knezevic preferred not to discuss the furore surrounding his move, speaking instead of his delight to be at Juventus.
"Since I was a baby I have longed to play for a big club and Juventus is a dream come true," he said.
"I'm here because in the past two years, perhaps, I must have done something good."
Copyright (c) Press Association
Related Articles

Reja contemplates new Lazio signings

Milan's Amelia requests transfer
