Turin: Italian football champions Juventus have signed Italian goalkeeper Mattia Perin from Genoa FC for around $16 million on a four-year deal, embarking on a new era following the departure of legendary Gianluigi Buffon.

Buffon held the No. 1 shirt of Juventus since 2001 and left the club at the end of last May.

Juventus moved quickly to fill in the vacated position with the signing of 25-year-old Italian international Perin, who on Friday underwent medical test before signing the contract which runs till June 2022.

Perin will take the No. 1 shirt but he will have to fight for a starting role with Polish international Wojciech Szczesny, who joined the Turin giants last summer.