BARCA FINALLY SEAL SAVIOLA DEAL
The Argentine`s have been busy rebuffing the attentions of the Catalan giants over the last few months for Saviola, but they have finally yielded and accepted their offer.
River Plate vice-president Alfredo Davicce revealed that following a special board meeting the club had decided to sell.
"We took into account the requests of the player and this is also good for the club."
Saviola`s agent Alfredo Cabrera also confirmed that his client had joined Barca.
"Saviola already is player of the Barca," Cabrera stated. "He will sign for five years.
"I have spoken with Saviola and he is moved, by Barcelona but he also thanks River."
The 19-year-old will seal the deal when he returns from playing for Argentina in the World Youth Championships, where he has scored 10 goals in six games so far.
Barcelona have agreed to pay River $7.5 million now and then in June 2002 and 2003 they will pay two further payments of $7.25 million.
If the Spanish giants sell Saviola within three years, then River will gain 15 percent of any fee.
Saviola is Barcelona`s fifth capture of the summer, following the arrivals of Fabio Rochemback, Geovanni, Philippe Christanval and goalkeeper Roberto Bonano.
However, the Camp Nou spending is unlikely to have finished as Bayern Munich`s Patrick Andersson is expected to sign in the next week and Boca Juniors star Juan Roman Riquelme has all but agreed to a move to Spain.
