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The Madrid team signed a contract with 26-year-old Argentine center-back Walter Samuel. The player's contract will take effect from July 1. This was officially confirmed by the Madrid club.
The team where Samuel played requested Fernando Morientes, but the royal club paid 22 million euros (approximately 76 million litas) to the capital's team.
Samuel joined the Rome club in 2000 from "Boca Juniors." It is expected that this Argentine will help strengthen the defense line of the Madrid team, which has been heavily criticized for some time. This year, "Real" will finish the season without trophies. The royal club also reached the club's all-time antirecord of 102 years - losing four matches in a row.
"Real" sports director Jorge Valdano calls Samuel a "real defender" and believes that he will help the young Madrid defenders improve. "He is a very good, mature player, his arrival will make our young defenders feel more comfortable and play better," Valdano said.
