/world sport
MADRID, Spain -- Primera Liga Real Zaragoza made a double swoop on Saturday to acquire Argentine international central defender Roberto Ayala and Brazilian international striker Ricardo Oliveira.
Ayala was a mainstay of the Valencia defense for a number of seasons.
Ayala, who is playing for his country in the Copa America, joins from fellow Spanish side Villarreal.
The 34-year-old had agreed a move to Villarreal back in February when his contract with Valencia ended in June.
But Zaragoza said on their Web site that Ayala would rescind his contract with Villarreal in the next few days and sign a three-year contract with Victor Fernandez's side.
They have moved swiftly to fill the space left by the sale of Ayala's partner in the center of the Argentine defense, Gabriel Milito, to Barcelona for a fee of up 20.5 million euros last week.
Zaragoza finished sixth in the Primera Liga last season to earn a place in the UEFA Cup.
Oliveira joins on loan from AC Milan where he has failed to make an impression after being signed as a replacement for Andriy Shevchenko when he moved to Chelsea last summer.
The one-year loan deal has an option to make the move permanent on a four-year contract at the end of next season.
Milan paid Zaragoza's Spanish rivals Real Betis 17 million euros last year for Oliveira.
He scored 22 goals in La Liga in the 2004-05 season, but managed only three goals in 26 Serie A appearances for the club. E-mail to a friend 
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