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Perez says big signings always pay off

BIG SPENDER : Real Madrid boss Florentino Perez
BIG SPENDER : Real Madrid boss Florentino Perez

MADRID - Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has defended his policy of signing the best players in the world for huge transfer fees by claiming they make the club money in the long run.

Perez is in his second term in charge at the Santiago Bernabeu and added to a stellar cast of signings under his guidance such as Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo with the capture of Gareth Bale earlier this month.

And while the 66-year-old construction magnate refused to clarify whether Madrid had paid ?91-million (R1.2-billion) for the Welshman, as reported by Spanish media, or a record-breaking ?101-million, as suggested by the press in England, Perez claimed Bale had in fact been a "cheap" signing.

"The signing was cheap," he told Spanish radio station Cadena Ser.

"All the important players have been cheap for Real Madrid. That is why we lead the Forbes list."

Indeed, US business magazine Forbes increased their valuation of Real Madrid following the Bale signing to $3.4-billion to consolidate their place as the world's most valuable sports entity.

"It was shown with Figo, Zidane, Beckham and Ronaldo. Even though they were very expensive, we went from losing money to making money."

Madrid's money-making potential under Perez's two spells in charge has dramatically increased with revenue rising from just ?85-million 15 years ago to ?520.9-million for the 2012-13 season.

Real also recorded a significant rise in profit and cut their net debt last season despite ending the campaign without any trophies.

Perez is hoping that Bale's arrival will signal not only continued commercial success, but a return to winning ways on the field. He also claimed that the player shunned the advances of Manchester United to end up at the Bernabeu.

"It came to our attention that Manchester United had made an offer and we then made ours."

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