Real Madrid [Images] and Santos have reached an agreement to end the long-running transfer saga over Robinho with the Brazilian striker poised to sign a five-year deal with the Spanish club.

In a statement on their website, Real said the 21-year-old international would join the club on August 25 after playing a farewell match with Santos.

"We are delighted," Real Madrid vice-president Emilio Butragueno said on his arrival at Barajas airport after the team's tour of the United States and Asia.

"He is a very important signing for us. We need great players and he's one of them."

Robinho is the second Brazilian international forward to join Real in two days, following hot on the heels of the 20 million-euro signing of Julio Baptista from Sevilla.

"They are two great young players and they will form a very good base for the team," added Butragueno.

"We have reached an agreement with Santos over Robinho but he won't join up with us until August 25 because the club has requested that he play another game or two as a way of saying goodbye to their fans.

UNCOMFORTABLE POSITION

"The situation with Santos had reached an uncomfortable position for everyone, but fortunately we found a solution that suited everyone."

Butragueno did not disclose the cost of the Robinho signing, but last week Santos refused to accept the $30 million Real offered to buy the striker out of his contract.

Real have been chasing the Brazilian international since last year but had met with stiff resistance from Santos, who wanted to hold on to a youngster who had played an instrumental role in their recent success.

Santos president Marcelo Teixeira accused the Spanish giants of approaching the player without his club's permission and appeared to be determined to resist Real's pressure.

The Brazilian Football Confederation added weight to his argument that Real had to pay the full $50 million penalty clause stipulated in Robinho's contract when refusing to hand over the player's International Transfer Certificate to their Spanish counterparts earlier in the week.

However, Teixeira appears to have finally relented with his decision paving the way for Robinho to realise a lifelong dream of playing in Europe.

OWEN DOUBTS

Robinho's arrival will cast doubts on the future of England [Images] striker Michael Owen [Images], whose place in the Real starting line-up is in serious jeopardy.

Real also have Ronaldo [Images] and Raul on their books, meaning there will be five forwards battling for places up front.

Robinho, who was won 12 caps for his country and scored four goals, is one of the world's most exciting players and was an ever-present in the Brazil [Images] team that won the Confederations Cup in Germany [Images] last month.

The Santos striker, who burst on to the scene as an 18-year-old when he helped Santos win their first Brazilian championship in 2002, has been the subject of speculation over a Real move for the best part of a year.

His trickery, ball skills and physique have often led to comparisons with Pele, who spent most of his career at Santos, although the youngster has yet to be fully tested against the world's top defenders.

Last November he was in the news after being sidelined by coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo when his mother Marina de Souza was kidnapped for 40 days after being abducted by two armed men at a barbecue at a friend's house in Santos.

Two days after her release, Robinho returned to the side and Santos beat Vasco da Gama 2-1 in their last game to clinch their second Brazilian championship in three years.

However, the kidnap incident is said to have helped convince Robinho he should leave Brazil to play abroad.

He has been at loggerheads with Santos since his return from helping Brazil win the Confederations Cup in Germany.

He defied orders to go back to the club and had a medical check-up under the supervision of Real Madrid doctors during his training boycott.

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