Juventus have announced the signing of defender Benedikt Howedes from Schalke on a season-long loan with a view to a permanent deal.

A statement on the club’s website said the reigning Serie A champions will pay 3.5million euros (£3.2million) to keep the 29-year-old until June 2018 at which point they can make the move permanent for 13million euros (£11.9million) with a further 3million euros of add-ons.

Should Howedes make over 25 appearances for Juve, however, the Italian club must sign him permanently.

Howedes, who has captained Bundesliga side Schalke for the last six years, will bolster a defence that lost Leonardo Bonucci to AC Milan earlier this summer.

Meanwhile, Sami Khedira has played down concerns over the knee injury he suffered whilst on international duty with Germany.

Khedira was ruled out of training on Wednesday morning with the problem and was sent for tests.

The 30-year-old, who has featured in all three of the Turin club’s matches so far this season, later tweeted: “I’ll leave out the game against Czech Republic but I’m optimistic to be back already against Norway on Monday – nothing too heavy.”