Higuaín added to Madrid armoury

Fee of €13m
Higuaín will join Madrid when the transfer window opens on 1 January after the Merengues concluded protracted negotiations with River, agreeing a fee of approximately €13m for the young forward. The Estádio Bernabéu club are wasting no time strengthening their squad for the second half of the campaign, having already secured the €7m transfer of Brazilian full-back Marcelo from Fluminense FC.

Just 19
Nicknamed 'Pipita', Higuaín has spent three seasons in River Plate's senior ranks, featuring in 35 league games and scoring 13 goals. Having turned 19 only last week, the youngster will be just 25 when his newly-penned deal with Madrid expires in June 2013 and given his relative inexperience, it remains to be seen how much coach Fabio Capello will use him this term. However, with first-choice strikers Ronaldo and Ruud van Nistelrooy both the wrong side of 30, Higuaín certainly offers a youthful alternative.