Granero takes pay cut to join Real Madrid

MADRID (AP) - Esteban Granero did something none of his new "galactico" teammates did to join Real Madrid this offseason - he took a pay cut.

The 22-year-old midfielder trained alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema - who along with Kaka cost Madrid nearly £200 million ($285 million) in transfer fees this offseason - for the first time Friday after accepting a drop in salary to rejoin his boyhood club after two seasons at Getafe.

"I was going to accept the deal they offered me before it even landed on the table," said Granero, who lost out on a reported £800,000 ($1.14 million). "Sometimes it's a rodeo to get to Real Madrid and, in my case, it meant going through Getafe, which worked out."

Granero, who joined Madrid's youth system at age 8, is the 10th midfielder at the club and has led to it declaring that it won't sign anyone else until it sells several players.

One such player is striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who returned to training after turning down a move to Bundesliga side Stuttgart on Thursday.

"It's true that I feel a great sense of responsibility," Granero said. "To be a part of this squad is hard and you have to earn your place. You have to shed your skin with every training because you always have to be conscious and respectful of the white shirt."

Liverpool's Xabi Alonso and Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery have both been linked with Madrid, but Granero would still welcome them to the club.

"It's clear it'll be even harder to play, but you have to aspire in difficult moments and I've decided to take a step forward in my career," Granero said.