Real sign £18.5m defender Ramos

Ramos is is the sixth most expensive signing in Real's history

Real Madrid have bought highly-rated Spain defender Sergio Ramos out of his contract with Sevilla for £18.5m.

Ramos, 19, who is to join on an eight-year contract, is the first Spaniard to arrive since president Florentino Perez took over in 2000.

He is the sixth most expensive signing in the club's history - only Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo, Ronaldo, David Beckham and Nicolas Anelka cost more.

The Ramos deal brings Real's summer spending on new players to £61.5m.

Ramos follows in the footsteps of Brazilian forward Julio Baptista, who moved to Real for a fee of up to £16.7m from Sevilla at the start of August.

Real invested another £25m on Brazilian striker Robinho and the defensive-minded Uruguayan duo Pablo Garcia and Carlos Diogo.

The club also have an option to buy Brazilian international right back Cicinho from Sao Paulo.

Ramos is the third most expensive transfer of the close season behind Shaun Wright-Phillips and Michael Essien, who both joined Chelsea.

Sevilla responded to Ramos' departure by signing Serbia & Montenegro defender Ivica Dragutinovic on a three-year deal from Belgian side Standard Liege.