Real Madrid have agreed to sign defender Raul Albiol from Valencia on a five-year contract, the Primera Liga club said on Thursday, the latest catch in their multi-million euro spending spree.
The deal will be completed next week once the 23-year-old Spain international, who is at the Confederations Cup in South Africa, completes a medical and signs his contract, Real said on their website (www.realmadrid.com).
Spanish media reported the transfer fee was around 15 million euros ($21 million).
Albiol will become the second confirmed signing by new Real president Florentino Perez following his purchase of Brazil playmaker Kaka from AC Milan for around 67 million euros.
Perez has also bid 80 million pounds ($132 million) for Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo, with the deal expected to be completed in the next few days.
Albiol, who suffered a serious car crash in 2004 which left him without a spleen, is likely to partner Portuguese international Pepe in central defence.
He made his Valencia debut in 2003 and first played for Spain in a 3-1 win over Denmark in 2007.