Mehdi Benatia swaps Udinese for Roma

Roma have completed the signing of Morocco defender Mehdi Benatia from Udinese.

The 26-year-old has put pen to paper on a five-year contract at Roma, who will pay Udinese an £11.7m transfer fee.

Benatia, 26, spent three seasons at Stadio Friuli, making 72 league appearances for the Bianconeri and scoring five goals.

In separate deals, 19-year-old duo Valerio Verre and Nicolas Lopez have joined Udinese from Roma for fees of £2.16m and £865,000 respectively.