Real Madrid Transfer News: Gareth Bale Signs, Unveiled to Thousands of Real Madrid Fans
International soccer sensation Gareth Bale has left Tottenham Hotspur and has been unveiled as a Real Madrid player on Monday in front of thousands of adoring Real fans, many of whom were already donning Real jerseys with his name on them.
Speaking in Spanish, the 24-year-old British player told Real fans as he was unveiled to them as part of a Euros 100 million deal: "It is a dream to be here in Madrid. Thank you for this welcome."
Bale's GBP 83.5 million deal eclipses the old world transfer record for Cristiano Ronaldo when he moved from Manchester United to Real Madrid for GBP 80 million.
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Real Club President Florentino Perez said, "Bale is an exceptional player. The negotiations have been intense, complicated and prolonged, but finally we have achieved our aim and we are delighted to welcome him as part of our team."
Meanwhile, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy spoke out about Bale's decision to join Real Madrid, admitting it was difficult to let Bale go.
"Gareth was a player we had absolutely no intention of selling as we look to build for the future. He is a player whose career we have fostered and developed and he was only a year into his new four-year contract.
"Such has been the attention from Real Madrid, and so great is Gareth's desire to join them, that we have taken the view that the player will not be sufficiently committed to our campaign in the current season.
"We have, therefore, with great reluctance, agreed to this sale and do so in the knowledge that we have an exceptionally strong squad to which we have added no fewer than seven top internationals," Levy said.
Tottenham Hotspur team manager Andre Villas also spoke about Bale, but stressed the importance of focusing on the future of the Spurs, rather than the loss of Bale.
"The Bale situation hasn't really had an effect on us," Villas-Boas said. "The player is going to join Real Madrid and we wish him all the best. He has moved on and we move on as well. We've moved forward with our work and our transfer activity. Did we miss him today? Yes, but it's part of change."
