Italy striker Cassano signs for Real

Italy striker Antonio Cassano will join Real Madrid on a four-and-a- half-year deal from Serie A club Roma, the Primera Liga side said yesterday.

"Real Madrid and Roma have reached an agreement over the signing of Antonio Cassano," Real said on their website.

"The 23-year-old Italian international will sign for the club until 2010 pending a medical examination which will be carried out on Wednesday.

"He will be presented to the media at the (Bernabeu) stadium at 1200 GMT."

Spanish media reported that Real had paid around 5.5 million euros ($6.54 million) for Cassano who had been embroiled in a dispute with the Italian club over his contract which was due to expire at the end of the season.

The Italian, who has a reputation as a difficult character, cost Roma $28.5 million when he signed from Bari in 2001.

"I've always dreamed of playing in the strongest team in the world and now that dream has come true," he told Real's website.

"Playing for Real is so important that I'm approaching it with a mixture of delight and responsibility."

The striker added that he was confident he would be able to help the nine-times Euro champions end their two-year trophy drought and win some silverware this season.

"I'm the sort of player that likes to be a leader when I play and I like to transmit my feelings to the people... I'm convinced that we are going to play well and that we can aspire to win everything."

Cassano is only the second Italian to sign for Real. He follows in the footsteps of defender Christian Panucci who played for the club between 1997 and 1999.

The striker is the 11th new player to join Real in the last year and a half and brings the club's total expenditure during that period to over 155 million euros.