Argentina defender Juan Pablo Sorin is to join Spain’s Villarreal from Brazilian club Cruzeiro, the Primera Liga club said on Thursday.

Sorin joins for the rest of this season and the following three years, and will be allowed to play immediately because he is replacing Javier Calleja, who is out of action for at least six months with a serious knee injury.

The 28-year-old was part of Argentina’s 2002 World Cup squad. He has previous experience in Europe, playing for Barcelona, Lazio and Paris St Germain.