Real Madrid on verge of signing Benfica's Fabio Coentrao
Real Madrid are close to completing the transfer of full-back Fabio Coentrao from Benfica for a fee of €30million after meeting the defender's buy-out clause, A Bola reports.
Coentrao has allegedly penned a five-year deal with the Spanish giants, and although Real Madrid refused to comment on the proposed deal, an official statement from the Spaniards is expected to be released after the final details of the move have been confirmed.
Benfica, meanwhile, have issued the following statement to CMVM (stock market): "Benfica come to inform [that] it is in negotiations with Real Madrid for the transfer of the sporting rights of athlete Fabio Coentrao."
On Monday, the 23-year-old defender decided to refrain from travelling to Benfica's pre-season training camp in Switzerland and flew to Madrid shortly after to discuss a deal.
Benfica president, Luis Filipe Vieira, and the player's agent, Jorge Mendes, followed suit and negotiations between both clubs intensified in the past few hours, eventually leading to Madrid's decision to meet Coentrao's release clause.
