Argentine defender Jose Maria Basanta heading to Fiorentina

MONTERREY - Argentine international defender Jose Maria Basanta is set to join Italian Serie A outfit Fiorentina, his Mexican club Monterrey announced on Thursday.

Monterrey said in a statement that they had received a formal offer from Fiorentina for the defender, a member of Argentina's World Cup squad in Brazil.

The Italian club have agreed to pay the player's $3.5 million (2.5m euros) buy-out clause.

"The player is awaiting permission to travel to Italy to undergo a medical examination and finalise the transfer," Monterrey's statement read.

Basanta has been with the Mexican club since 2008.

He was a member of the 23-man Argentina squad at the World Cup and played in the quarter-finals against Belgium in place of suspended Marcos Rojo. Argentina finished runners-up to Germany.

He will join compatriots Gonzalo Rodriguez and Facundo Roncaglia at the Tuscan club, who were fourth place finishers in Serie A last season.