TIL Desk Sports/ Record Italian football champions Juventus have strengthened their backline with the addition of Germany defender Benedikt Höwedes from Schalke on a season-long loan deal with an option to buy.
“In acquiring Höwedes, the Bianconeri have signed a very dependable player, who up until now has spent his entire career at Schalke,” Juventus said on their website on Wednesday.
The Turin giants said that the loan fee is 3.5 million euros ($4.15 million) and that they will be obliged to make the deal permanent for 13 million euros ($15.41 million) if the 29-year-old makes at least 25 appearances during the 2017-18 football season.
Juventus wanted a central defender after Leonardo Bonucci’s departure to AC Milan. Howedes, who also can play as a left-back or a right-back, will be Juventus’ fifth central defence option.
Höwedes was part of a German side that won the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. He was one of just three German players, including Manuel Neuer and Philipp Lahm to play every single minute of Germany’s successful World Cup campaign.
