Garay agrees to swap Madrid for Benfica

SL Benfica have confirmed the signing of central defender Ezequiel Garay from Real Madrid CF for an undisclosed fee.

The Argentinian international agreed the terms of the deal while on national-team duty at the 2011 Copa América, although the Lisbon club have decided against revealing the specific details.

Former CA Newell's Old Boys player Garay arrived at Madrid in 2008/09 after two and a half seasons with Real Racing Club, to whom he was immediately loaned back for a year before spending two terms in the Spanish capital. During that time, the 24-year-old centre-back failed to establish himself as a first-team regular and, following 25 Liga appearances, he has moved in the opposite direction to left-back Fábio Coentrão, who departed Benfica for the nine-time European champions this summer in a €30m transfer.

Benfica, runners-up in the Portuguese Liga last term, have been drawn to play Trabzonspor AŞ in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League, the first leg of which takes place on 26/27 July.