Real send Portillo on loan to Fiorentina

Real Madrid are sending striker Javier Portillo out on loan to Fiorentina in Italy for the coming season.

Portillo, 22, broke a stack of Real Madrid's goalscoring records at junior level. He made a big impact in his breakthrough season in 2002-03 but found last term much tougher, with just one goal coming in 393 minutes of league action.

The return of Fernando Morientes from a loan spell with Monaco left him as fourth choice striker, with Raul and Ronaldo also ahead of him. The club have opted to let him go, at least temporarily.

"This will give me the opportunity to gain the experience that will enable me to come back next year at Real Madrid," Portillo told the Spanish club's website.