Soldado set to seal Getafe switch
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
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Real Madrid CF have agreed to transfer 23-year-old striker Roberto Soldado to cross-town rivals Getafe CF in a deal that could reportedly rise to €6m.
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Real Madrid CF have agreed to sell Roberto Soldado to cross-town rivals Getafe CF in a deal that could reportedly rise to €6m. The 23-year-old striker will sign a four-year contract with last season's UEFA Cup quarter-finalists subject to passing a medical at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez.
New adventure
"Above all, I'd like to thank Getafe for the effort they have made to sign me," Soldado said as he left Madrid's pre-season training camp in Austria bound for the Spanish capital. "They have been insisting on me playing for them for years now." The striker, who arrived at Real Madrid as a 13-year-old, endured a frustrating time trying to break into the first team in recent years and made just 16 Primera División appearances for the club, scoring twice.
Fond farewell
The Valencia-born forward, who spent 2006/07 on loan at CA Osasuna where he scored eleven times in 30 league games and has been capped twice by Spain, spoke of his bittersweet time with the current league champions. "After going through a pretty bad year here I will leave a happy man as I have learned so much. It's a sad occasion as I spent so much time [with Madrid] and it's obvious I will always carry the club in my heart." Getafe, under new coach Víctor Muñoz, have had a busy summer in the transfer market bringing in Soldado's former Madrid team-mate Esteban Granero as well as Adrián González, Eugen Polanski, Íbrahim Kaş, Joffre Guerrón, Rafa López and Jaime Gavilán.