MADRID // Real Madrid have agreed to sign defender Raul Albiol from Valencia on a five-year contract, the Primera Liga club said on their official website. Spanish media reported the fee was around ?15 million (Dh76.9m). Albiol, 23, is likely to partner Portuguese international Pepe in central defence next season with Fabio Cannavaro having departed to join Juventus. He was the second confirmed signing by the new Real president Florentino Perez following his purchase of the Brazil playmaker Kaka from AC Milan for around ?67m.
Perez has also bid £80 million (Dh482.9m) for Manchester United's winger Cristiano Ronaldo, with the deal expected to be completed in the next few days. Albiol made his debut for Valencia in Sept 2003 and first played for Spain in a 3-1 defeat of Denmark in Aarhus in Oct 2007. * Reuters
