Chile's Sanchez to join Barcelona for $54 million - report

SANTIAGO, June 19 (Reuters) - Italy’s Udinese have agreed to transfer Chilean winger Alexis Sanchez to Barcelona for around $54 million, Chilean media reported on Sunday.

The gifted 22-year-old, who is in Chile’s squad preparing for next month’s Copa America in Argentina, will travel in the coming days to Spain to seal his move to the European champions.

“Udinese agree on the sale of Sanchez to Barcelona for $54 million,” the daily La Tercera said, adding that the player’s Argentine agent Fernando Felicevich had “concluded a pre-accord for a four-year (contract) for $4.4 million.”

Sanchez, known as “Kid Marvel”, scored 12 goals this season and helped Udinese finish fourth in Serie A to reach a Champions League qualifying berth.

El Mercurio said Sanchez had been granted permission by Chile coach Claudio Borghi to miss next Thursday’s friendly against Paraguay “to have the medical tests (at Barcelona)”.

Sanchez, set to turn out for Chile in a friendly against Estonia in Santiago later on Sunday, was signed by Udinese in 2006 for $2.8 million. He was loaned to Argentina’s River Plate in 2007.