Perez reveals details of record Zidane deal
( 2001-07-10 09:27 ) (7 )

zidane Real Madrid's new soccer star Frenchman Zinedine Zidane (C) holds up his new team's shirt between Real Madrid's chairman Florentino Perez (L) and honourary president Alfredo Di Stefano during his presentation ceremony at the club's training grounds in Madrid July 9, 2001. Zidane became the world's most expensive player after signing a four-year contract to join Real Madrid from Juventus for a fee reported to be worth up to $64.5 million on Monday.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez said the world record transfer of Zinedine Zidane from Juventus to the Spanish champions on Monday cost the club more than 13,000 million pesetas (US$66.05 million).

Zidane's transfer fee was 11,500 million pesetas (US$58.43 million), but Perez said the payment schedule, over three years, included interest charges that would increase the cost to 12,500 million pesetas (US$63.51 million).

Commissions totalling 533 million pesetas (US$2.71 million) would then take the total cost of the World Player of the Year to over 13,000 million pesetas.

But Real's president was still confident he would reap profits from signing the French midfielder.

"As everyone knows what may at first appear expensive is often cheap in the long run. As well as being profitable from sporting terms I have absolutely no doubt the Zidane deal will be profitable from the economic perspective," Perez told reporters.

Real were quick to take the first steps to recouping their huge investment -- 200 replica shirts emblazoned with Zidane's name and the number five, costing 12,000 pesetas (US$60.97) each, were bought at the club shop within the first hour of the player completing his move.