Juventus signs Benatia on season-long loan with purchase option

Juventus announced Friday the signing of Moroccan defender Medhi Benatia out of Bayern Munich on a season-long loan for an initial fee of €3 million, with a €17-million purchase option added, which must be exercised by May 30, 2017.

That €17-million figure would be paid over two financial years, according to the Italian club.

The 29-year-old central defender joined Bayern Munich out of Roma in 2014 but returns to Serie A just two seasons later, having failed to establish a consistent starting spot with the Bavarians under Pep Guardiola.

He made 46 appearances over two seasons, scoring three goals.

When Benatia first made the move to Germany, he said he was only sold for money, with Roma unable to turn down a €26-million offer.

"Enquiries started coming in during the year, and I discussed them with the sporting director Walter Sabatini," Benatia said, according to ESPN FC. "He told me that the club essentially wanted to keep me, but that they needed money so they might sell me. We then agreed that I would either get an updated contract or that I would join a top club."

It was a claim Roma president James Pallotta vehemently denied.

"It's clear that Medhi Benatia has continued to construct a castle of inventions over the past two months," Pallotta said.

"I told (football director) Walter Sabatini that he was poisoning the dressing room harmony and that I wanted rid of him. Both (then-Roma head coach) Rudi (Garcia) and Walter agreed with me. It was not about money, it was a question of personality and the dressing room harmony."

Benatia joins a Juventus outfit bursting with defensive options, and he will need to work to displace one of Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci, or Andrea Barzagli out of the starting lineup.