Portuguese international Nuno Gomes has signed a five-year deal with Italian Serie A side Fiorentina, the sports press reported in Lisbon Sunday.
Brazilian youth international striker Leandro Amaral has also signed a four-year contract with the same club.
Gomes, the 24-year-old Benfica player, Portugal's fourth-choice striker before Euro 2000, and one of the major revelations of the tournament, is reported to have fetched $18.7 million.
Gomes was a prolific scorer for Portugal at junior levels of football and became much sought after following the European championships.
But he faces an eight-month UEFA ban for his role in the fracas which followed Portugal's Euro 2000 semifinal defeat by France, when he pushed the referee in a free-for-all which ensued when the French won on a controversial penalty.
Meanwhile, Amaral, the player currently with Brazilian side Portuguesa dos Desportos, is reported to have signed a deal worth $9.7 million.
The move follows the breakdown of negotiations for the 23-year-old player's planned transfer to Portuguese side FC Porto – (AFP)
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