Cristiano Ronaldo’s arrival in Turin has forced the club to move the Argentine on, though a familiar face is returning to the Serie A champions
Leonardo Bonucci is rejoining Juventus from AC Milan and will trade places with Gonzalo Higuain and Mattia Caldara, Massimiliano Allegri confirmed.
All three players underwent medical examinations on Thursday morning.
Higuain is set to finalise a one-year loan switch worth an initial €18 million (£16m/$21m), with the Rossoneri able to make the deal permanent with a €36m (£32m/$42m) payment at the end of the season.
Article continues below
Editors' Picks
Juve on alert: Exiled Icardi may have already played his final game for Inter Sarri vindicated for dropping Kepa as Chelsea & Pedro impress in Spurs win Magnificent Mane takes centre stage as league leaders Liverpool put on a five-star show Lukaku sends reminder that his Man Utd career is far from over
As previously revealed by Goal, Caldara and Bonucci are both valued at €35m (£31m/$40.8m) meaning a straight swap will take place between the Serie A rivals.
With Bonucci having spent only a season with Milan, Juve boss Allegri is happy to have a defensive stalwart return to Turin.
“Leonardo is back after one year. He is an important player,” the head coach told Sky Sport Italy.
“In six months he has not changed at all.
“Caldara is younger and along with [Alessio] Romagnoli and [Daniele] Rugani is part of the best defending trio in Italy. I am sorry but the circumstances forced us to let him go.
“As for Higuain, I thank him for these two seasons during which he gave his best. Milan have signed a great striker, for sure.”
Higuain scored 40 Serie A goals for Juve after joining from Napoli in 2016.
Caldara, who officially signed from Atalanta in January 2017, failed to make a competitive appearance having remained on loan at his boyhood club last term.