Barca sign Brazilian keeper Neto from Valencia

BARCELONA: Barcelona have agreed to sign Brazilian goalkeeper Norberto Murara Neto from Valencia for an initial €26 million (RM122 million), the La Liga champions said on Thursday.

Neto will sign a four-year deal with Barcelona that will keep him at the club until the end of the 2022-23 season and he will replace Dutch goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen who moved the other way on Wednesday.

“Barcelona and Valencia have reached an agreement for the transfer of the player Norberto Murara Neto,” Barcelona said in a statement.

“The cost of the transaction will be €26 million plus €9 million in add-ons.”

Barcelona also said that they would be inserting a release clause of €200 million in Neto’s contract and the 29-year-old is expected to be backup to firstchoice Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

Neto made 47 appearances for Valencia in all competitions last season, and his 10 clean sheets in La Liga helped them qualify for the Champions League after they clinched the fourth and final spot at the end of the campaign.

Meanwhile, Benfica are evaluating a €126 million offer for Portugal striker Joao Felix from Atletico Madrid, the Portuguese club said in a statement on Wednesday.

If terms are agreed, the 19-yearold would become the most expensive player in Atletico's history, smashing the La Liga side's transfer fee record of €72 million euros to sign France winger Thomas Lemar from Monaco last season.

“Atletico Madrid submitted a proposal for the acquisition of (Felix) for a total amount of €126 million which is being analysed,” Benfica said in a statement to the Portuguese Securities Market Commission.

Felix would become the fifth most expensive signing in history after Neymar, who holds the record after his €222 million move to Paris St Germain in 2017, Kylian Mbappe (€180 million), Philippe Coutinho (£142 million [RM668 million]) and Ousmane Dembele (€105 million).

Atletico have been in the market for a forward after talismanic striker Antoine Griezmann said last month that he would leave in the close season.