Carvalho heads to Madrid in €8m deal
CHELSEA defender Ricardo Carvalho will link up with former boss Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid for a third time today after the two clubs agreed a fee of around €8m (£6.7m).
The 32-year-old Portuguese centre-half will join the Spanish giants on a two-year deal.
Carvalho first followed Mourinho to Chelsea from FC Porto in a £19.85m transfer in 2004.
He soon became a firm favourite with the Stamford Bridge crowd, forming a solid defensive partnership with captain John Terry and helping the club to three Premier League titles, three FA Cups and two League Cups.
A Chelsea statement read: “Chelsea Football Club can confirm it has agreed terms with Real Madrid for the transfer of Ricardo Carvalho.
“The transfer is subject to a medical and the player agreeing personal terms.
“Chelsea would like to thank Riccy for his six years of service, and we wish him well in his future career.”
Mourinho almost re-signed Carvalho while boss of Inter Milan last season, but finally got his man yesterday after admitting he was one defender short on returning from the club’s pre-season tour of the United States.
Carvalho recently told a Spanish newspaper he would love a move to the Bernabeu, saying: “If there was a possibility to sign with Real Madrid, I would go there right now, swimming or running.”.