Real Madrid officially announce the signing of Lucas Silva

Real Madrid have officially announced the signing of Cruzeiro midfielder Lucas Silva. The Brazilian has penned an agreement which will see him remain with the ten-time champions of Europe until June 30, 2020.

Silva will be unveiled in the Santiago Bernabeu presidential box on Monday afternoon (1pm CET), before stepping on the pitch for the first time in a Real Madrid shirt.

The signing of the Brasileiro league defensive midfielder of the year has been in the works for over a month. Cruzeiro had rejected two earlier offers from Real Madrid for the talented 21-year-old, and it was rumored that the Spanish club had decided to move on to other transfer targets.

But earlier this week it was learned that negotiations had re-opened and Silva’s move had become imminent.

In early December, the Cruzeiro midfielder conveyed that playing for Real Madrid was his “dream” and hoped to move to the La Liga giant after the conclusion of the Copa Libertadores. But it appears the player and Real Madrid feel there’s no better time than the present for the talented Brazilian midfielder to start work in the Spanish capital.

Silva will immediately be in contention of a spot in Carlo Ancelotti’s senior squad. With Sami Khedira and Asier Illarramendi likely making way for the 21-year-old defensive midfielder.

Khedira has been rumored to be on his way out of Madrid after the club refused to renew his current contract (which runs out this summer). And news surface recently that Athletic Bilbao has put a £19 million bid on the table for services of Illarramendi. But officials at Real Madrid are going to have to convince the 24-year-old midfielder that a move to Basque Country would be the best thing for his career.