AC Milan seal Higuain signing and Bonucci-Caldara swap with Juventus

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Milan, August 3: AC Milan have announced the signings of striker Gonzalo Higuain and defender Mattia Caldara from Juventus, with Leonardo Bonucci going the other way to rejoin the Serie A champions.

Higuain's move, on an initial one-year loan worth €18million with an obligation for Milan to buy for a further €36m, comes just two years on from the Argentina striker's €90m switch to Juve from Napoli, which was a club record until Cristiano Ronaldo's €112m switch from Real Madrid this year.

It is believed Ronaldo's arrival prompted the Serie A champions to put Higuain up for sale as part of a revamp of the squad under Massimiliano Allegri.

The 30-year-old scored 55 goals in 105 appearances in all competitions for Juve, winning two Serie A and Coppa Italia doubles and reaching the Champions League final in 2016-17.

Bonucci caused a sensation when he swapped Juve for Milan a year ago amid reports of a rift with Allegri.

The player's denials of an issue with his then-former boss now appear sincere after their reunion was sealed, with the highly rated Caldara - who only officially linked up with the Bianconeri earlier this month following a switch from Atalanta - taking Bonucci's place at San Siro.

Both men have signed contracts running until June 2023 as part of a straight swap deal valued at €35m.

Bonucci will look to make his second Juventus debut at Chievo in the Serie A opener on August 18, while Higuain, Caldara and their new Milan team-mates host Genoa the following day.