Lucas will join PSG in January 2013

Lucas will join PSG in January

PARIS, France  ●  Paris Saint-Germain has agreed a deal with Brazilian club Sao Paolo to sign highly rated midfielder Lucas in January on a five-year deal, underlining both its massive strength in the transfer market and its newfound allure.

PSG did not give any financial details of the transfer and said in a statement Wednesday that Lucas will join the club after the winter break ends in January 2013.

The 19-year-old Lucas became one of Brazil’s most talked-about players after helping Brazil win the under-20 South American championship in February. Manchester United was among the other clubs reportedly keen to sign him.

He is the latest high-profile signing to join PSG, which last month signed Serie A top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Brazil defender Thiago Silva from AC Milan to take its spending to more than €200 million ($247 million) since Qatari owners QSI took over in June last year.

The acquisition of Lucas will take that spending to close to €250 million, with Brazilian reports estimating the total cost of the transaction at around €43 million.

PSG begins the new season at home to Lorient on Saturday night.

●  Colombia defender Cristian Zapata has signed with AC Milan on a loan from Spain’s Villarreal.

AC Milan announced the move before its friendly against Real Madrid at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday, saying the deal gives it the right to buy the defender outright.

The 25-year-old has made 15 appearances for Colombia. After playing for Deportivo Cali from 2004-05, he spent six seasons in Italy with Udinese before moving to Villarreal for one season.

● Stoke City says U.S. international defender Geoff Cameron has been granted a work permit Wednesday as part of his move to the Premier League side.

The club had to appeal for a work permit before a panel in Manchester. Stoke was represented by manager Tony Pulis and club chief executive Tony Scholes.

Houston Dynamo coach Dominic Kinnear says he’s happy for Cameron and hopes “he can be successful in England.”

The 27-year-old Cameron has played for the U.S. team five times since making his debut in 2010.

● The New York Red Bulls have acquired goalkeeper Luis Robles via the MLS allocation process.

The Red Bulls announced the acquisition Wednesday, adding that Robles will be placed on their roster after his international transfer certificate is received. New York has a home game Friday against Houston.

Robles spent the past five seasons in Germany, most recently with Karlsruher SC, where he made 28 appearances from 2010-12. The 28-year-old started his stint in Germany with FC Kaiserslautern in 2007 and appeared in 36 games. He was drafted by D.C. United in the fourth round of the 2007 MLS SuperDraft but did not sign.

A University of Portland product, Robles has earned one cap for the U.S. national team.

●  Bundesliga club Hoffenheim says it has signed Spanish forward Joselu Mato from Real Madrid.

Hoffenheim said Wednesday that the 22-year-old Joselu, who was born in the German city of Stuttgart, signed a four-year contract.

Hoffenheim says the two clubs agreed not to disclose details of the transfer deal. Joselu scored 26 goals for the Spanish champion’s second-string team, Real Madrid Castilla, last season.