Rafa Benitez completes deal for countryman…
Napoli have completed a deal for Real Madrid’s Spanish centre-half Raul Albiol, reports Sky Sports.
The Italian club, who recently sold Edinson Cavani for £55m, have paid €11m for the classy defender.
Albiol follows Jose Callejon to Napoli, who arrived from the La Liga runners up earlier in the summer.
The 27-year-old defender made 81 league appearances for the Spanish giants since his move in 2009 from Valencia. He has also made 40 appearances for the brilliant Spanish national team, and will hope that guaranteed first team football at Napoli will secure him a place in Spain’s squad ahead of next summer’s World Cup.
Albiol is now reunited with Rafa Benitez, who gave him his debut at Valencia in 2003 in a UEFA Cup match. Benitez won two Spanish league championships with Valencia, and will be hoping he can wrestle the Serie A title from Juventus next season.
Benitez’s last managerial job in Italy was unsuccessful. The Spaniard got sacked by Inter Milan after a torrid starter to the season in 2010.
The ex-Liverpool manager will be hoping he gets to invest the Cavani money back into the team, and is reportedly close to a deal to bring Brazilian forward Leandro Damiao to the club.
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