Benfica request Real Madrid to clarify Florentino
Perez comments
Real
Madrid president Florentino Perez has
declared the club did not spend €30 million to sign
Fabio
Coentrao from Benfica,
according to Marca.
The Portugal international was Madrid's most expensive summer
signing, but he has so far failed to justify his hefty price-tag on
the field.
Confronted with Coentrao's transfer fee by one of the club's paying
members, Perez reportedly explained that the Portuguese left-back
did not cost €30m, as defender Ezequiel Garay moved to Benfica in a
€12.5m switch.
The Estadio da Luz outfit had announced to the Portuguese stock
market (CMVM) they had spent €5.5m to acquire 50 per cent of
Garay's economic rights, but it appears now they have spent €7m
more in order to gain full control over the Argentine.
This means that Garay was included in Coentrao's transfer to the
Santiago Bernabeu and that Madrid spent €17.5m to land the
Portuguese, who will spend the next two weeks on the sidelines with
a hamstring injury.
Meanwhile, Benfica’s communications director Joao Gabriel has come
out to deny Perez's alleged remarks, telling news agency
Lusa: "Benfica have already requested Real Madrid to
clarify the comments which came to public and allegedly belong to
the president of Madrid.
"We will divulge the real figures involved in the operation if
Madrid fail to do so."