Boateng leaves Milan for Schalke

BERLIN: AC Milan midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng has joined Schalke 04 on a three-year deal, the Bundesliga club’s chairman Clemens Toennies told German daily Bild on Friday.
“Everything is clear between us and we are delighted that this transfer has been completed. He is exactly what we needed,” Toennies was quoted as saying.
Sport Bild reported that Boateng had already passed a medical and would move for a fee of 12 million euros ($15.9m) on a three-year deal that carries an option for a fourth season.
The 26-year-old German-born Ghanaian international started his career in the Bundesliga with Hertha Berlin, his hometown team, in 2005.
The half-brother of Bayern Munich and Germany defender Jerome Boateng, he moved to Tottenham Hotspur for 7.9 million euros in 2007 and returned briefly to Germany with Schalke’s bitter rivals Borussia Dortmund before joining Portsmouth and then Milan.
He scored twice in the Italian team’s 3-0 victory against PSV Eindhoven in their Champions League play-off second leg on Wednesday that took them through to the group stage 4-1 on aggregate.
Juventus striker Alessandro Matri officially signed for AC Milan on Friday as the Rossoneri confirmed that talks with CSKA Moscow to buy Japanese playmaker Keisuke Honda were “ongoing.”
Club CEO Adriano Galliani compared the signing of Matri to that of prolific striker Filippo Inzaghi.
“It reminds me of when we signed Inzaghi in 2001, I hope Alessandro can follow in his footsteps,” Galliani told reporters.
Matri, who failed to cement a regular starting place in Antonio Conte’s Juve side, was deemed surplus to requirements in Turin following the signings of Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente.
However, with Milan striker Giampaolo Pazzini still recovering from knee surgery and the Rossoneri now qualified for the group stage of the Champions League, coach Massimiliano Allegri stepped up his bid to bring an extra striker on board.
A brief statement on Milan’s website, www.acmilan.com, on Friday confirmed the 29-year-old’s arrival.
“A.C. Milan announce the signing of Alessandro Matri from Juventus Football Club,” the statement read.
Neither club has put a price on the transfer although reports suggest Milan will pay 11 million euros ($14.5m) for the striker on what was a busy day for the club owned by Silvio Berlusconi.