Julen Lopetegui has swung swiftly at Real Madrid to secure the signature of Santos starlet Rodrygo Goes on a six-year deal, with Los Blancos paying a €54 million fee.
The Brazilian club announced the news on their official website on Friday.
Madrid also confirmed in a statement on their official website the teenager won’t arrive at the Santiago Bernabeu until July 2019, though he will turn 18 in January and would be of legal age then.
Lopetegui was axed as Spain coach and resumed his new role in the capital on Thursday.
Rodrygo has made 17 appearances for Santos, scoring six goals and laying on two assists.
The winger recently caught the eye with a hat-trick against Vitoria.
Madrid’s capture of Goes follows their recruitment of Flamengo striker Vinicius Junior last year. Like Goes, he too is expected to arrive in the Spanish capital in 2019.
Los Blancos have an ageing first-team squad with Cristiano Ronaldo now 33, and the likes of Marcelo, Sergio Ramos, Karim Benzema and Luka Modric are all in their 30s as well.
It will likely be a few years before either Vinicius or Rodrygo are playing senior football in the Spanish capital, but Real are making moves to ensure a new generation of talent will be ready to carry the torch.
Given his price tag, Madrid evidently has high hopes for Rodrygo, though, with such little football under his belt, it could also be a hefty gamble.
