Juventus today confirmed the signing of Liverpool midfielder Mohamed Sissoko. The Mali international has signed a five-year contract with the Italian club in a deal understood to be in the region of  €11 million.

Sissoko struggled to hold down a regular first-team place at Liverpool this season after falling out of favour under manager Rafael Benitez.

The 23-year-old is on international duty at the African Nations Cup but has already passed his medical having visited Turin prior to leaving for Ghana. He is excited at the prospect of playing for Juve.

He told the club's official website, www.juventus.com: "I am happy to have signed for such a big club, this experience is certainly a step forward in my career.

"I am excited at the thought of playing with great champions like (Gianluigi) Buffon and (Alessandro) Del Piero and working again with Claudio Ranieri, a great coach with whom I already worked with at Valencia."

Sissoko, who joined the Merseysiders from Valencia in July 2005, made nine league appearances for Liverpool this season, scoring once.

His career at Anfield has been interrupted by a serious eye injury, sustained against Benfica in February 2006, and a dislocated shoulder suffered against Birmingham in November that year.