Benevento snap up Cannavaro Jr

Milan (AFP) – Serie A strugglers Benevento on Wednesday completed the signing of teenage midfielder Christian Cannavaro, son of Italian football great Fabio Cannavaro.

Benevento president Oreste Vigorito confirmed the arrival of the 18-year-old, the eldest of the former Italy captain and 2006 World Cup winner’s three children.

Cannavaro Snr — the 2006 Ballon d’Or winner and considered among the greatest defenders over a career at Juventus, Real Madrid and Inter Milan — is now coach of Chinese champions Guangzhou Evergrande.

His son plays in midfield rather than defence, like his father and uncle Paolo, who played for Napoli and Sassuolo before retiring last month and joining the technical staff at Guangzhou Evergrande.

Cannavaro Jr arrives from Sassuolo having been loaned to Serie B side Carpi, as Benevento push for top flight survival following a catastrophic start to their first Serie A campaign.

The Serie A tailenders, who achieved a European record 14 consecutive defeats, now have seven points from 20 games after winning their last two matches, although skipper Fabio Lucioni this week received a one-year doping ban and they are still eight points from safety.

The side from Naples also signed Brazilian midfielder Guilherme from Polish champions Legia Warsaw on an 18-month contract.

That brought Benevento’s January signings to four after the arrivals of French defender Jean-Claude Billong and Malian striker Cheick Diabate.