Mariano Diaz is set to succeed Cristiano Ronaldo and take the No.7 shirt at Real Madrid, Goal can reveal. Real have agreed a €30 million (£27m/$35m) deal to sign the striker , who left the club just 12 months ago for Lyon for €8m.
Mariano has signed a five-year contract at Santiago Bernabeu, becoming their first attacking signing since Ronaldo departed for Juventus earlier this summer.
And he will immediately step into the Portuguese’s sizeable shoes, having requested the No.7 shirt.
Several players within Real’s squad had previously declined the opportunity to wear the number, with Ronaldo having enjoyed an incredible spell in the Spanish capital.
The 33-year-old scored 450 goals in 438 games, and won a plethora of trophies. Ronaldo won two La Liga titles, two Copa del Reys, and four Champions League trophies, as well as two UEFA Super Cups, three FIFA Club World Cups and two Supercopa de Espanas.
Mariano, meanwhile, has enjoyed a sterling start to his career, scoring 21 goals in 48 games at Lyon, while he was also part of the Real squad that won La Liga and the Champions League in 2016-17.
The 25-year-old had appeared set to join Sevilla this summer, having agreed terms on the move, with Real hijacking the deal at the last minute.
But he will now be presented by the Champions League holders on Friday, where his new squad number will be confirmed.
Mariano is eligible for Dominican Republic through his mother, a native of San Juan de la Maguana. He made his international debut on 24 March 2013, in a friendly against neighbours Haiti, and scored the last goal of a 3–1 victory.He later retired from the national team to focus on his career at Real Madrid and also avoid being cap-tied with the Dominican Republic, in view of a possible call up for the Spanish national team.Former Spain national coach Julen Lopetegui said that Mariano is available for selection in future squads.