AS Roma sign Baptista from Real Madrid

      MADRID (AFP) - AS Roma have signed Real Madrid's Brazilian forward Julio Baptista, the Spanish club announced Thursday.

      In a statement on its website, Real did not indicate the transfer fee for the 26-year-old but Roma said on their site it was nine million euros (13 million dollars). No length of contract was given on either site.

      Baptista, who joined Real from Sevilla in 2005, had been hoping to leave the Spanish champions where he has endured an unhappy time, warming the bench more often than running around on the pitch and was even loaned out to Arsenal in a swap with Jose Antonio Reyes during the 2006/07 season.

      Roma have been chasing the player known as 'The Beast' but his agent last month ruled out a loan deal with the Italian club.

      Baptista has spent five years in Europe since joining Sevilla from Sao Paulo in 2003.