Colombia soccer star James Rodriguez will join Spanish giants Real Madrid, the club announced on its website Tuesday.
After months of speculation over the future of the leading goalscorer of the 2014 World Cup, James Rodriguez will be leaving his current club AS Monaco after only one season for a staggering 80 million euros or $114 million.
James also appeared with Real Madrid’s medical team and passed his exam, officially enabling him to play for the ‘merengue’ side
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“Real Madrid reinforces itself with a spectacular footballer, young but with the accumulated experience of his stints with the Argentine, Portuguese, and French leagues,” the statement read.
On Twitter, the Spanish club welcomes its new midfielder.
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The team from the Spanish capital said the Colombian will be presented to the press at 20PM local time.
AS Monaco, who bought Rodriguez from Portuguese side FC Porto for almost $60 million in 2011, confirmed the transfer.
“The club had no intention to sell the player, however the time came when the solution of a transfer was considered to be the most beneficial solution for all parties,” said the French, adding that “Monaco is proud to be a party to one of the most significant transfers in football history.”
With the transfer, Rodriguez became the third most expensive player in the history of soccer after Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, who were hired by Real Madrid in 2009.
Real Madrid are the current titleholders of the Champion’s League trophy, won in a multi-country tournament
MORE: ‘AS Monaco sign Colombia’s James Rodriguez’
Monday morning saw James jerseys go on sale in Madrid, and James can look forward to combining with lightning-rod talents like Ronaldo and Bale on a proven roster that now features fellow recent-signing and new-World Cup champion Toni Kroos, a midfielder who previously played with Germany’s Bayern Munich.