<
>

Sevilla sign Argentina right-back Gabriel Mercado to help replace Coke

Sevilla completed the signing of Argentina defender Gabriel Mercado from River Plate on Thursday.

Mercado, 29, was Argentina's first-choice right-back during the Copa America this summer and played all 120 minutes in their defeat on penalties to Chile in the final.

He moves to the Spanish club for a reported fee of €2.5 million as a replacement for their former captain, Coke, who sealed a move to Schalke earlier this week.

Mercado signed a three-year deal tying him to the club until 2019, with River retaining the rights to 20 percent of any sell-on transfers.

"Everything has happened so fast and I am feeling very anxious," he told reporters. "This is my first day, I passed my medical, signed the contract and this will be my first training.

"After that, I will find out which shirt is mine and I will put it away as a keepsake."

The defender started his career at Racing before moving to Estudiantes in 2010 and on to River Plate two years later.