MADRID, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Real Madrid have completed the sale of striker Raul de Tomas to Portuguese club Benfica for a fee of 22.5 million U.S. dollars.
The 24-year-old striker leaves Madrid after two seasons on loan with Rayo Vallecano, which saw him net a total of 38 league goals, 14 of which came in last season.
"Real Madrid and Sport Lisboa e Benfica have agreed the transfer of Raul de Tomas. The club wants to thank him for his commitment since arriving at the club and wishes him luck for his new period," says the Real Madrid website.
The striker said he was pleased to make a "step forward" in his career. "I have come to the best club in Portugal and I am looking forward to starting. It will be a bit different to start with, but I am sure I can adapt quickly," he said.
De Tomas will help Benfica replace 19-year-old Joao Felix who joined Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, while he joins Marcos Llorente and Mateo Kovacic in being the third player sold by Real Madrid this summer, as they look to finance a spending spree which has already passed 300 million euros this summer.
Left-back Theo Hernandez is expected to join that exodus in the coming days once a move to AC Milan is completed.
Elsewhere in Spain, Sevilla continue building for the new season with the signing of Argentinian winger Lucas Ocampos, while Getafe, who finished fifth last season, have signed striker Enric Gallego from Huesca for six million euros.
