Ramos completes transfer to Real Madrid

Madrid:

Spanish international defender Sergio Ramos completed his $33.5 million transfer from Sevilla to Real Madrid on Thursday, after passing a routine medical. Ramos, who has signed an eight-year contract, received his number four shirt from Madrid's honorary president Alfredo Di Stefano at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. He has become the most expensive defender in the history of the club, signing an eight-year contract. The 19-year-old is also the first Spaniard to join Madrid since Florentino Perez gained the club presidency in 2000. "I would like to thank you all and express my happiness to be here on the best day of my life--a day that I have dreamed about since I was young," Ramos said.

Big bucks Real paid the sum needed to buy the Spanish international out of his contract at Sevilla in a deal concluded just 10 minutes before the European-wide transfer deadline expired at the end of last week. The deal made Ramos the sixth most expensive signing in the club's history. Only Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo, Ronaldo, David Beckham and Nicolas Anelka have cost more than the defender. Ramos brought the club's close season expenditure to $111.57 million, with Brazilian forwards Robinho and Julio Baptista and Uruguayan duo Pablo Garcia and Carlos Diogo also joining since the end of the last campaign. Squad balance The nine-time European champions have not won a major trophy for the past two seasons, with many blaming the lack of balance in the squad. Real have also secured first option on Brazil right-back Cicinho, who will cost $7.5 million if he joins next January but Ramos is confident that he has made the right move. "In a team like Real Madrid playing in defence is pretty difficult, because it has a lot of attacking players of great quality. Any mistake you make stands out a lot more than in any other club. I am ready for this challenge," Ramos said. The defender had become the youngest player to debut for Spain in 63 years when he played in last season's friendly against China at the age of 18. (AP)