Sawt Falasteen - Chile great Sanchez joins Sevilla from Udinese

The announcement came just hours after Udinese said he was leaving the Serie A club by mutual consent.

After a career playing for "a good part of the most important clubs in the football panorama", Sanchez will "bring his experience and goal-scoring sense" to Sevilla, the La Liga outfit said about the 36-year-old.

The Chilean, who also represented Manchester United, Inter Milan and Marseille in his career, had returned to Udinese for a second spell a year ago.

"Udinese and Alexis Sanchez's paths are separating here. The club and the white and blacks legend have reached an agreement to end his contract," Udinese said in a statement.

"Alexis will always remain our 'Amazing Kid'," the club added in reference to Sanchez's nickname.

Udinese also announced the arrival of Italy international striker Nicolo Zaniolo on loan from Galatasaray.

It will be the 26-year-old's fifth club in two years having moved from Roma to the Turkish side in 2023 before being loaned out to Aston Villa, Atalanta and then Fiorentina.

Sanchez first joined Udinese when he left South America as a fresh-faced teenager in 2008.

He went on to win La Liga with Barca in 2013, Serie A with Inter Milan in 2021 and 2024, and the FA Cup with Arsenal in 2015 and 2017.

But the highlight of his career was leading Chile to back-to-back Copa America successes in 2015 and 2016, both times beating Lionel Messi and Argentina in the final.

He has scored a total of 220 goals in 796 matches in his club career.

Q.Najjar--SF-PST