After 16 Seasons, Raul Says Goodbye To Real Madrid; Joins Schalke 04

Tottenham Hotspur has been linked with a move for Raúl, but on the day the former Real Madrid captain announced his separation from the Santiago Bernabeu, Spurs manager Harry Redknapp hinted it would be too expensive to bring the striker to White Hart Lane:

”Raul was a great player at Real Madrid, but I wouldn’t think he would be a player we would bring to Tottenham. Financially, I don’t think it would be possible to do a deal like that.“In the same interview, Redknapp confirmed his interest in Sevilla’s Luis Fabiano while hinting Robbie Keane is likely to stay with the team:

Last season, Raúl’s goal total dropped from 18 (in 2008-09) to five as the captain lost his place in Manuel Pellegrini’s starting XI. Pellegrini was replaced by José Mourinho earlier this off-season, but the new coach had asked Raúl and midfielder Guti to stay away from training as the futures of both talismanic players were resolved. Two days after Guti announced his departure from the club, Raúl has made his exit official.

Now Raúl looks close to a move to Germany, where Schalke 04 coach Felix Magath has commented on the veteran’s eventual arrival. The Spaniard would not, however, eliminate England as a possible landing point.