Higuain set to leave Milan for Chelsea
MILAN • AC Milan striker Gonzalo Higuain has "agreed terms" and is set for an imminent move to Premier League football club Chelsea, Italian sports daily Gazzetta Dello Sport reported yesterday.
Higuain joined Milan on a season-long loan from Juventus in July with an option to buy, but has struggled to settle at the San Siro, scoring eight goals in all competitions.
The 31-year-old Argentina international will be reunited with former Napoli coach Maurizio Sarri at Chelsea, who will take over his €36 million (S$56 million) buy-out clause.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
French defender Pavard to join Bayern
DOHA• World Cup-winning defender Benjamin Pavard will join Bayern Munich from Stuttgart on a five-year contract on July 1, the defending German football champions revealed yesterday.
Media reports in Germany put the transfer at €35 million (S$54.5 million) for the 22-year-old Frenchman who can play at right-back or centre-back.
His stock skyrocketed last summer when he scored a net-busting strike in a 4-3 last-16 win over Argentina that set France on their way to the World Cup title.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Violence mars Lazio's anniversary party
MILAN • Eight police officers were injured after celebrations to mark Lazio's 119th anniversary in the centre of Rome turned violent, police told Italian media yesterday.
The skirmishes took place at Piazza della Liberta in the centre of the Italian capital, where up to 2,500 Lazio football fans gathered late on Tuesday. Shortly after midnight, an estimated 300 fans broke away from the main group and began throwing bottles and other objects at police, who responded with tear gas and water cannons.
One fan was arrested and three others detained, all with links to the club's hardcore "Ultra" fans.
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Imahira gets invite to April's Masters
WASHINGTON • Japan's Shugo Imahira, last year's Japan Golf Tour money list winner, has accepted a special invitation to play in April's Masters tournament, Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley said on Tuesday.
The 26-year-old will make his Masters debut after missing the cut in all three previous Major starts at the 2016 Open Championship, the 2017 US Open and the 2018 PGA Championship.
The world No. 53 had 14 top-10 finishes last year and won his second career title at the Bridgestone Open.
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