Gareth Bale's prolonged transfer from Tottenham Hotspur to Real Madrid was finally completed for a world-record 100 million euros (S$132 million) on Sunday after the Spanish club officially announced the move. However, media in Spain insisted on Sunday that Real will only pay 91 million euros, three million less than Los Blancos paid for Cristiano Ronaldo back in 2009.

"I would like to thank everyone at the Club, the Chairman, Board, staff, coaches and players - and most of all the fantastic fans who I hope will understand this amazing career opportunity," Bale said in a statement.

"I feel like I am in good shape. I need to take it step by step but I hope to be involved in the Villarreal game." Bale had delighted adoring fans at the Santiago Bernabeu by greeting them in Spanish and taking to the pitch in his number 11 Real shirt for the first time to fire balls into the crowd.

And club president Florentino Perez also handed a warm welcome to his latest star signing by lauding the qualities that led Bale to being crowned players' and football writers' player of the year in England last season.