Balboa to Benfica

Real Madrid midfielder Javier Balboa has signed for Benfica for the next 4 seasons in a deal reportedly worth around 4.5 million euros (plus 50% of any transfer fees if the players is sold on). The 23 year old is the first in the 2007-2008 squad to leave the club this summer (Cassano did leave for Sampdoria last May, but he had already spent a season there on loan) and he joins former Real Madrid player Quique Sánchez Flores' new project at the Portuguese club. Quique knew Balboa during his stint as one of Real's youth managers some years ago.

Balboa had asked Real Madrid to let him go, given the little playing time he had in the past season (10 games: 5 League, 3 Cup, 2 Champions League), in which hecame in as a substitute in all but one of them, but still managed to score two goals. Though he generally plays on the right wing, he can be useful on either side. All In White wish him luck in his career