MADRID (Reuters) -
After weeks of speculation Real Madrid finally brought an end to the Ronaldo transfer saga when they agreed a deal to sign the Brazil striker from Inter Milan minutes before Europe's transfer deadline expired.
'Real Madrid would like to announce that they have reached an agreement with Inter Milan for the transfer of Ronaldo who will join the club next Monday to undergo a medical and will then be presented to the media at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium,' said a spokesman for the Spanish club.
An Inter spokesman confirmed that the deal had been agreed with the club adding that they had reached an agreement to buy Argentina striker Hernan Crespo from Lazio to replace Ronaldo.
Spanish media reported that Real will pay 35million euros for Ronaldo plus another player of Inter's choice valued at about 10 million euros who will join the Serie A club during the winter transfer window.
This brings the total value of the deal to about $45million and puts it into the top seven most expensive transfers in football history.
Since finishing as top scorer in the World Cup with eight goals, Ronaldo made it clear he wanted to leave Inter for Real.
The Brazilian joined the Milan club from Real's Spanish rivals Barcelona in 1997, but his career had been hampered by knee injuries since the 1998 World Cup finals.
After weeks of speculation Real Madrid finally brought an end to the Ronaldo transfer saga when they agreed a deal to sign the Brazil striker from Inter Milan minutes before Europe's transfer deadline expired.
'Real Madrid would like to announce that they have reached an agreement with Inter Milan for the transfer of Ronaldo who will join the club next Monday to undergo a medical and will then be presented to the media at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium,' said a spokesman for the Spanish club.
An Inter spokesman confirmed that the deal had been agreed with the club adding that they had reached an agreement to buy Argentina striker Hernan Crespo from Lazio to replace Ronaldo.
Spanish media reported that Real will pay 35million euros for Ronaldo plus another player of Inter's choice valued at about 10 million euros who will join the Serie A club during the winter transfer window.
This brings the total value of the deal to about $45million and puts it into the top seven most expensive transfers in football history.
Since finishing as top scorer in the World Cup with eight goals, Ronaldo made it clear he wanted to leave Inter for Real.
The Brazilian joined the Milan club from Real's Spanish rivals Barcelona in 1997, but his career had been hampered by knee injuries since the 1998 World Cup finals.