AFP afpji

Real Madrid swoop for Villa - report

Sat 13 Jun, 11:33 AM


--AFP/Diego Tuson

AFP/Diego Tuson
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MADRID (AFP) - Valencia striker David Villa, one of the stars of Spain's victorious Euro 2008 squad, has signed for Real Madrid for close to 40 million euros, a Spanish newspaper said Saturday.

Marca, citing sources at Real Madrid and Valencia, said both clubs were hammering out the fine details of the deal before officially announcing the transfer.

If confirmed, Villa would become the third big name to join the club under new president Florentino Perez, after Brazilian playmaker Kaka and Portuguese winger Ronaldo from AC Milan and Manchester United respectively.

Perez has established a 200-million-euro war chest for players, vowing to create a "spectacular team" capable of overtaking arch-rivals Barcelona next season.

The top scorer at Euro 2008, the 27-year-old Villa scored 28 goals in the Spanish championship this season.

But Valencia is reportedly ready to sell some of its top stars in a bid to ease its financial difficulties.

Perez returned as president of Real on June 1.

During his first stint, from 2000 to 2006, he oversaw the era of the "Galacticos" when world stars such as Zidane, England's David Beckham and Brazil's Ronaldo were attracted to the club.

 

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  1. REAL MADRID CANT AFFORD TO KEEP THE PLAYERS THEY HAD SO­ THEY HAVE TO GO AND STEAL OTHER TEAMS BEST PLAYERS LIKE­ KAKA AC MILAN NOW RONALDO FROM MANCHESTER UNITED WELL­ HE WAS ONE OF MY BEST PLAYERS, HE WILL FLOP AT MADRID­ HE'S MADE A BAD CHOICE IN MOVING SHOULD'VE­ STAYED AT UNITED NOW TO ME BOTH KAKA AND RONALDO ARE­ TRATORS KAKA SAID HE WOULD NEVER LEAVE AC MILAN AND­ RONALDO SAID HE WAS HAPPY AT UNITED HE EVEN SAID­ HE'D PLEDGE HIS FUTURE TO UNITED REAL MADRID SHOULD­ KEEP THEIR FILTHY HANDS OF OTHER TEAMS PLAYER

    From keith t, on Sat 13 Jun 6:07PM

  2. Real Madrid CF don't need Villa or Alonso they have­ players that fill them positions more than good enough­ already but what RMCF do need is two good center backs­ F. Perez.

    From Cerberus, on Sat 13 Jun 5:54PM

  3. good news them Perez we will show them the fire we worm­ ourselves with.

    From Uncle Vito, on Sat 13 Jun 3:23PM

  4. BARCA 4 life

    From norbert a, on Sat 13 Jun 2:54PM

  5. Real Madrid well done once again.

    From Jillogwu, on Sat 13 Jun 2:47PM

  6. getachew44 you are lovely, I like to read your­ comments, i like the way you talk to all those Real­ Madrid haters who are full of jealousy and envy. You­ are the man. Hala Madrid we gonna show 'em.

    From Jillogwu, on Sat 13 Jun 2:42PM

  7. briansharman,that makes no sense,your implying that­ every player who decides to join an Italian or SPanish­ club does so because they don't think their capable­ of competing in the Premiership,please think before you­ type anything!And getachew44,there's so much wrong­ with what you said that i honestly don't know where­ to start,but saying "stand up to cheer­ for madrid­ or die with jeoleusy",well that just shows what­ kind of person you are!

    From MichealS, on Sat 13 Jun 2:35PM

  8. Addy, that was the most indecipherable message I've­ ever read on this board,but if I've figured out­ your secret language, I agree with what you've­ said. If Pellegrino can't unite the squad, he will­ almost certainly get the sack (I read if he goes,­ he'll be the 24th manager of Real Mardrid during­ Sir Alex's reign at united), oddly enough I think­ the only person who could control the Madrid squad is­ Sir Alex himself. And yeah, Barca have a team full of­ superstars. I think the difference is, the players want­ to play for Barca, they know the history, the pride and­ the responsibility that comes with wearing the shirt,­ whereas I can only see players moving to Madrid for the­ money. Also agree with the way Ferguson has assembled­ his squad, with a mix of players. I'm not a fan of­ United, but I love looking at the transfers made by­ Wenger and Ferguson, just to see what hidden gem­ they'll unearth next.

    From Steve, on Sat 13 Jun 2:22PM

  9. no 8 now i know y real madrid won nothing n maybe for­ next few season...i refer ur words when u said real­ madrid control football like PS game is it?Real madrid­ buying player using they president but not from manager­ who will manage the team...if the manager fail to­ united all star player they will be sack...let me­ remind u something villa is most importand player at­ velencia...kaka for milan n ronaldo for man­ united....most of super star player got high ego...but­ honestly i never seen any others team can make all­ super star player united like barca did...man united­ team with combine vateran,youger,modarate n super star­ player as a one team...

    From Addy N, on Sat 13 Jun 1:43PM

  10. don't think to much about our diffence
    we have the­ best G.keeper and some good players like ramos, pepe,­ marcelo and diara 1 and 2 but that is not the end we­ have long list of names to bring them
    vidic, albeol,­ zapata, maicon, filepe, clichy and xabi alonso

    From getachew44, on Sat 13 Jun 1:23PM

  11. EPL teams thought can do everything with money but real­ madrid with perez show them their real size
    non of them­ including united or city even chelsea can survive in­ market with real madrid

    From getachew44, on Sat 13 Jun 1:12PM

  12. real will run the world of football

    From christhopher t, on Sat 13 Jun 12:49PM
  13. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    kaka prefere real over milan, city and chelsea, ronaldo­ prefere real over united, villa prefere real over­ barca, chelsea and city
    all stars prefere real madrid­ from low rate teams like man city, milan, chelsea,­ barca and united
    all stars prefere la liga from coca­ cola league(EPL) and pepsi league(serie A)
    Do you know­ why?
    coz real madrid and la liga are the best team and­ league in world
    we control everything in football just­ like PS games, we take who we want, we have won most of­ titles and we are the richest club
    stand up to cheer­ for madrid or die with jeoleusy

    From getachew44, on Sat 13 Jun 12:49PM
  14. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    kaka prefere real over milan, city and chelsea, ronaldo­ prefere real over united, villa prefere real over­ barca, chelsea and city
    all stars prefere real madrid­ from low rate teams like man city, milan, chelsea,­ barca and united
    all stars prefere la liga from coca­ cola league(EPL) and pepsi league(serie A)
    Do you know­ why?
    coz real madrid and la liga are the best team and­ league in world
    we control everything in football just­ like PS games, we take who we want, we have won most of­ titles and we are the richest club
    stand up to cheer­ for madrid or die with jeoleusy

    From getachew44, on Sat 13 Jun 12:47PM

  15. good for our life

    From Zahir z, on Sat 13 Jun 12:30PM

  16. please leave xabi alonso alone.

    From nicholaskimbowa, on Sat 13 Jun 12:25PM

  17. Real Madrid you cant buy the champions leaque you are a­ real mess not madrid

    From newitt128, on Sat 13 Jun 12:23PM

  18. Villa has wanted to go to Madrid for a long time.­ Valencia needed to sell him for a lot of money as soon­ as possible. Madrid wanted him and were ready to buy­ him for lots of money and very quickly - so what's­ all this rubbish about him 'not having the­ bottle' for the premiership?! Would have loved him­ to come to England but THIS WAS INEVITABLE

    From Simon, on Sat 13 Jun 12:19PM

  19. It looks like Villa too does not have the bottle to ply­ his trade in the English Premiership. Too fast, too­ furious and much too competitive. Surprise surprise!

    From BRIAN, on Sat 13 Jun 12:08PM

  20. R.Madrid pls use ur cash on the right place.. All u­ guys really need are few gd defenders.

    From tidus520520, on Sat 13 Jun 12:02PM
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