MADRID (AP) Real Madrid has signed a six-year deal with French defender Theo Hernandez after securing his transfer from rival Atletico Madrid.
The 19-year-old Hernandez impressed last season while playing on loan from Atletico to fellow Spanish league club Alaves. The left back had been linked to a move to Real Madrid for several months.
Hernandez played for Atletico’s youth teams before his stint with Alaves. Atletico said in a statement that Hernandez had “rejected on several occasions Atletico Madrid’s offers to renew his contract” that was good through 2021.
Neither club disclosed the financial details of the transfer.
With Hernandez playing a leading role, Alaves surpassed expectations by reaching the Copa del Rey final last season and finishing the Spanish league in ninth as a newly promoted team.
Hernandez will likely be a second-choice player for coach Zinedine Zidane behind Brazil left back Marcelo.
While Hernandez arrived at the defending European and Spanish champions, left back Fabio Coentrao was sent on loan to Sporting Lisbon. Coentrao joined Madrid in 2011, but injuries and the strong play of Marcelo greatly limited his playing opportunities in recent campaigns.
Barcelona has yet to make any moves this summer, but it did announce on Wednesday that star forward Lionel Messi will sign a three-year contract extension keeping him at the club through 2021.