Muharemović to Leeds is official: €40m, Juventus pocket half

Tarik Muharemović to Leeds United is now official: Sassuolo have announced the sale of the Bosnian defender, the richest deal in the club's history. Sky Sport, Tuttosport, Corriere dello Sport, Calciomercato.com and MSN confirm a €40m operation, of which — according to MSN and Il Riformista — roughly half goes to Juventus.

The trail had already heated up on Sunday 12 July, when Calciomercato.com called it the «decisive» week for Muharemović's departure: the Sassuolo centre-back had to choose between Bournemouth and Leeds, the two Premier League clubs chasing him.

The breakthrough came on the evening of Tuesday 14 July. First Calciomercato.com announced that «Leeds United have closed the signing of Tarik Muharemović» in a €40m operation; shortly afterwards came the trademark «here we go», with an agreement also reached with Sassuolo.

It had been above all Sky Sport, the most authoritative source on the story, that gave the deal weight: the outlet spoke of a move «in its closing stages» for €40m and stressed that this was Sassuolo's «most valuable sale ever». Tuttosport and eurosport.it reported the same figure.

The most curious financial detail involves Juventus. According to MSN and Il Riformista, of the €40m paid by Leeds roughly half ends up in the Bianconeri's coffers: Sassuolo and Juve, it is reported, «split it down the middle», while Tuttosport had even headlined a «heavy payday» for the Turin club.

The final step, the official confirmation, arrived on Friday 17 July: Sky Sport headlined «Sassuolo, Muharemović to Leeds: official», with Calciomercato.com, Corriere dello Sport, Tuttosport and MSN reporting the two clubs' announcement and returning to the question of «how much Juventus collect». For the Bosnian defender, a Premier League adventure now begins.

With the sale wrapped up, Sassuolo are already weighing a replacement: after the «Acerbi idea» floated by Gazzetta di Modena, Calciomercato.com reports that the neroverdi have opened talks with free agent Francesco Acerbi to fill the departing defender's place.

TransferBeat aggregates transfer news citing the original sources. Developing story.