Eduardo Camavinga poses in Real Madrid jersey at his unveiling
Angola-born French international Eduardo Camavinga has been unveiled as a Real Madrid player.
Camavinga earned his move to Real Madrid on deadline day after an impressive career with Rennes in the Ligue 1 and winning caps in the France national team at the age of 18.
The transfer reportedly worth €40m (£34.4m) after the Spanish giants edged Manchester United and Paris Saint Germain to his signing.
Following his signing, he was registered by Real Madrid as a Team B player due to his young age, but he is expected to largely feature as a first team player.
At his unveiling at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday, the midfielder who was welcome by club President Florentino Perez expressed his excitement at making the move to Real.
“I am very happy and proud to be here,” Camavinga said during his presentation.
“I want to thank the President of Real Madrid [Florentino Perez] and my family, because they have made it possible for me to be here. If a few years ago they told me that I would be here… Hala Madrid!”
Perez who also spoke glowingly about the prospect plying his trade at the club and the first opening of the stadium of the Estadio Bernabeu since COVID-19 protocols forced its closure.
“Today this club welcomes a player who is going to show his talent,” Florentino Perez began after handing Camavinga new number 25 shirt, “and his family know how hard this path has been. Since he was a little boy he has been striving to wear Real Madrid’s shirt and that moment has now arrived. Although he is only 18 years old, he was being watched by some of the biggest clubs in Europe. We have been tracking his talent for the last two years.
“Dear Eduardo, you are now a Real Madrid player and I hope this is the beginning of a great career at Real Madrid.
“You are coming to Real Madrid from a friendly club. You have made history by being the youngest player to make his debut for France since 1914. And now you will wear the shirt of the club that have won 13 European Cups, you will defend a badge that has the best record in the history of football and that has values that millions of people around the world identify with.
“Your parents Celestino and Sofia and your siblings know what you have had to go through to get here. Here a career awaits you in which you will not be alone, in which the fans will always support you.
“We are coming from a very hard time because of the [COVID-19] pandemic.
“March 1, 2020 was the last time we could be together at the [Estadio Santiago] Bernabeu and it is exciting to say that football is now coming back to the Santiago Bernabeu after such hard and strange times.”
Camavinga was born November 10, 2002 in a refugee camp in Angola to Congolese parents. His parents later migrated with him to France.
In France, he was registered as a young boy in local club, Stade Rennes and he rose through the ranks at the club until he made his first team debut aged 16 years, 4 months and 27 days.
At 17 years, nine months and 29 days, he became the youngest player to represent France since 1917.
