Real Madrid officially unveiled newly-acquired star James Rodriguez on Tuesday at the Santiago Bernabeu after striking a lucrative transfer deal with AS Monaco.
Real Madrid introduced Rodriguez on Tuesday after the Colombia international inked a six-year deal, following an expensive transfer agreement.
Rodriguez has been on Real Madrid's radar after the 23-year-old midfielder turned heads in the 2014 FIFA World Cup where he scored six goals en route to winning the Golden Ball award.
Both clubs did not disclose the financial terms of the agreement, but multiple reports confirmed that Real Madrid paid €80 million to acquire Rodriguez, whose transfer became the fourth most expensive move in history - only behind Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Luis Suarez.
But while he etched his name into the record books with the lucrative move, Rodriguez said that he is not thinking about the numbers because he wants to make history by winning multiple titles at the Bernabeu.
"The numbers mean nothing to me. I just want to help make history and bring joy to the Madrid fans," Rodriguez said via ESPN FC. "This is a club which is used to winning and I'm prepared mentally and physically to do so. It is a pleasure to be among so many stars and I'm sure I'll learn a lot from everyone. I've always followed Real Madrid and always dreamed of playing here."
Rodriguez, who will be wearing the No. 10 jersey at Real Madrid after former holder Mesut Ozil moved to Arsenal, helped Monaco earn a Champions League berth, scoring nine goals and tallying 12 assists in 30 Ligue 1 games.
AS Monaco CEO Vadim Vasilyev said that selling Rodriguez was not a part of their plans this summer, but he added that the move could be beneficial for the club in the long run.
"James is a fantastic player who achieved great things with AS Monaco. The club had no intention to sell the player; however, the time came when the solution of a transfer was considered to be the most beneficial solution for all parties," Vasilyev said in a statement. "AS Monaco is proud to be a party to one of the most significant transfers in football history."
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