Cash-strapped Lazio have sold Jaap Stam to Italian champions AC Milan for €10.5 million after the 31-year-old Dutch defender turned down a contract extension.
Stam's contract at Lazio would have ended on June 30, 2005. He joined Milan on a two-year deal with the transfer fee being paid in two installments in 2005 and 2006.
The Holland international fell out with the Lazio board last year when he refused to accept shares in the club as payment for several months of unpaid wages.
Stam will be re-united with his former Lazio team-mate Alessandro Nesta in the centre of a defence which includes captain Paolo Maldini and Brazil captain Cafu.
Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson sold Stam to Lazio in 2001 after the Dutchman published a book containing allegations of dressing-room spats and claims the United boss had illegally tapped him up when he was at PSV Eindhoven.
Stam had three successful years at United and was a key member of their Treble-winning team in 1999.
Filed by James Boylan
