We completely agree with FIFA transfer regulations: Real Madrid director Emilio Butragueño

Real Madrid’s home stadium, the Santiago Bernabeu

La Liga giants Real Madrid have revealed through a statement that they fully respect the governing body FIFA’s decision on transfers related to under-age players. There were reports that Los Blancos and defending La Liga champions Atletico Madrid could face bans similar to the one that was handed out to FC Barcelona.

Club Director Emilio Butragueño said that Real Madrid are fully in agreement with FIFA and are willing to provide any type of support with regards to all matters.

“We are in agreement with Fifa in this matter and we will continue collaborating with them in everything that is asked of us. We are absolutely calm about how Real Madrid has proceeded,” he said.

The statement also said that the body had asked for information about 51 players, but a large section of them were free from regulations for several reasons. Madrid also pointed out that 10 Spaniards and 23 foreign players had already registered themselves with another Spanish club.

The club signed 16-year-old midfielder Martin Odegaard from Norwegian club Stromsgodset on Thursday.

Real Madrid signed two South American footballers

The issue came up after Real had apparently signed a couple of 12-year-old Venezuelan footballers Manuel Godoy and Fernando Macias via an intermediary who has a soccer school in the Spanish capital. The first was signed in 2012 while the second was signed in 2013 when he was 14 years of age.

FC Barcelona were banned from making any transfer deals in April 2014 after they were found guilty of having repeatedly violated the transfer regulations. That ban was suspended in August and that decision allowed them to complete the signing of Luis Suarez from Liverpool.

However, the Court of Arbitration for Sport(CAS) banned them from making any signings for two consecutive transfer markets at the end of last year.

Under FIFA laws, clubs are not allowed to sign international players under the age of 18 unless the player is moving within the European Union, is aged between 16 and 18 and moving with their parents or the club and the player both live within 50 kilometers of a shared national border.