Real Madrid have signed World Cup Golden Boot winner James Rodriguez from French league club Monaco.
The 23-year-old Colombia forward has agreed a six-year deal at the Bernabeu.
The reported fee of about 80 million euros (£63m) makes Rodriguez the fourth most expensive transfer of all time after Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Suarez.
Rodriguez scored six goals in five matches at the World Cup as his side reached the quarter-finals.
He scored against Greece, Ivory Coast and Japan as they topped Group C before netting twice, one a sublime volley, during the 2-0 last-16 win against Uruguay, which was voted goal of the tournament.
Rodriguez’s final goal was a late consolation from the penalty spot as Colombia lost 2-1 to Brazil.
Born on 12 July 1991 in Cucuta, Colombia, he began his career at Envigado, joined Argentine club Banfield in 2009 and moved to Europe with Porto the following year.
He won the 2012 Portuguese Golden Ball, given to the best player in the Primeira Liga, at the age of 20 – the youngest player to achieve the feat.
Had won three successive league titles with Porto by the age of 21 and moved to Monaco for £38.5m in 2013, making him the second-most expensive Colombian in history, after Radamel Falcao
The former Porto forward won the Portuguese league three years in a row before joining Monaco last season, where he scored nine goals in 34 Ligue 1 games.
Monaco vice-chairman Vadim Vasilyev said his club had no plans to sell Rodriguez, but were proud to be part of “one of the most significant transfers in football history”.
Vasilyev said: “The time came when the solution of a transfer was considered to be the most beneficial solution for all parties.”
Madrid made Ronaldo the world’s most expensive player when they signed him for £80m from Manchester United in 2009, and eclipsed that with the £85.3m they paid Tottenham for Gareth Bale last summer.
Rodriguez’s signing comes less than a week after they signed German World Cup winner Toni Kroos, who moved from Bayern Munich for an undisclosed fee.
Follow Us
