According to Onda Cero, the soap opera of the last few weeks has come to an end: Iker Casillas has reached an agreement with Real Madrid to leave the club and he will sign for Porto in the next few hours. This has been announced by Héctor Fernández, director of ‘Al Primer Toque’ on the Spanish radio station Onda Cero.
The goalkeeper was at Valdebebas this morning to carry out medical tests with the rest of his current team-mates, but when he was informed of the definitive agreement he left the club’s training facilities while the rest of the players remained there.
After 25 years at the Spanish capital club and 16 seasons in the first team (since 1999-00), Casillas will leave Madrid to join one of the best teams in Portugal and Europe. His departure from the club began to take shape a few weeks ago, but his pay-off settlement was an impediment because Madrid did not want to pay him €14.5m. Therefore, Casillas went to Valdebebas yesterday (Thursday) for the first meeting with Rafa Benítez as well as turning up today, until there was white smoke, to continue doing the same as the rest of his team-mates.
In recent hours the negotiations have intensified after the problems that arose on Thursday night over his settlement. The agents that act on behalf of the Spanish goalkeeper were in Oporto a few days ago to meet with the Portuguese club’s senior officials to finally reach an agreement. It is expected that Porto will make the transfer official today (Friday) now that the agreement between all parties is complete.
Therefore, Casillas will not have to board Real Madrid’s flight to Australia on Sunday and he will bid farewell to his team-mates and the club’s supporters in the next few hours with a press conference at the Bernabéu. Casillas does not want tributes.
Casillas will then join up with Julen Lopetegui’s Porto squad. The Spanish coach’s mediation was decisive in Casillas’ choice to move to Porto.