Fernández heading for Villarreal

Villarreal CF have reached an agreement with CSD Colo-Colo to sign Chilean international winger Matías Fernández on a five-and-a-half year contract.

Chile connection
The 20-year-old Fernández, who has five Chile caps, will join Villarreal in January in a transfer described by Colo-Colo as the "biggest in Chilean football". The Spanish side, who are coached by Chilean Manuel Pellegrini, and whose recent rise to domestic and European prominence has featured a number of South American players, will play two friendlies against Colo-Colo as part of the deal. Fernández will help replace Robert Pirès who has been sidelined since the summer with cruciate ligament damage to his left knee.