Real Madrid pressure forces Valencia to sign Albiol

Valencia have secured defender Raul Albiol to a new contract through to 2011.
 
Albiol was tabled the new deal hours after news broke in the press that Real Madrid were ready to pay his previous contract's £8 million buyout clause.

Real president Fernando Martin was offering Albiol a six-year deal worth £1.5 million-a-season.

Before signing his new deal, which now carries a £40 million buyout clause, 20 year-old Albiol phoned Martin to inform him of his decision.