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We've been speculating about it for weeks (months?), and today Bayern Munich has made it official. Mehdi Benatia will be joining from AS Roma on a five year contract.
DONE DEAL: #FCBayern and @OfficialASRoma have agreed the transfer of MEHDI BENATIA (27)! Defensive ace set to sign a 5-year contract.
— FC Bayern English (@FCBayernEN) August 26, 2014
There have bee rumors up until the last minute that Manchester United were making a last ditch effort for the centerback, but FCB were able to get the man that they've been after hot and heavy since Javi Martinez went down with his knee injury.
He will bolster a centerback corps of Holger Badstuber, Jerome Boateng, and Dante and give Pep Guardiola the ability to put the players on the field in his formation of choice, whatever that may be.
Benatia's rumored transfer fee is €26 million + 4 million in bonuses. This ranks him up there among the highest transfer fees ever paid by Bayern alongside Martinez, Mario Götze, and Mario Gomez.
Update: Bild s reporting that Benatia's salaray is €5 million.