RIO DE JANEIRO, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- Flamengo have signed Uruguay international midfielder Giorgian de Arrascaeta from their Brazilian rivals Cruzeiro.

The Rio de Janeiro club secured Arrascaeta on a five-year deal after reportedly agreeing to pay 18 million euros to prise the 24-year-old away from the Mineirao.

"I want to share my happiness at starting this new stage with everybody," Arrascaeta, who has been capped 17 times for Uruguay, said in a statement published by Flamengo on social media.

"It's an honor and it makes me enormously proud to know the effort that Flamengo made to sign me. I came here to win titles and make the fans happy."

Flamengo finished second in the 2018 Brazilian Serie A standings, eight points behind champions Palmeiras.