Soccer-Real Set To Unveil Zidane In World Record Deal
MADRID, July 9 (Reuters)(DS) - World Player of the Year Zinedine Zidane was poised to move from Juventus to Real Madrid for a reported world record fee of 12,000 million pesetas ($60.64 million) on Monday, the Spanish club said.
"Zinedine Zidane will be presented to the media as a new Real Madrid player at approximately 1400 (1200 GMT) today," the club said in a statement to the press.
The player was undergoing a club medical on Monday morning prior to his scheduled presentation.
Spanish radio station Cadena Cope reported that the French international midfielder flew in to the military airbase of Torrejon close to Madrid in a private jet on Sunday evening.
Real are in a hurry to close the deal with the Serie A club as Zidane is due to travel to Moscow on Thursday to lend his support to the Paris bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games.
Reports said that Zidane, who played in the France sides that won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000, will sign a four-year deal with Real Madrid earning 1,000 million pesetas ($5.05 million) in each season.
($1=197.88 Peseta)
