Madrid, July 10 (DPA) Around 15,000 Real Madrid fans welcomed Karim Benzema to the club Thursday night, in another spectacular presentation of its new signings.

Benzema, 21, has been signed by Real from French giants Lyon for around 35 million euros (48.63 million dollars).

Real president Florentino Perez - who has spent around 210 million euros on Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and Raul Albiol - introduced Benzema as the 'best young player in the French league'.

The young striker, who has still not been assigned a squad number, said in halting Spanish: 'I am very happy to play for the best club in the world.

'I am very happy to play for the same club as my idols (Zinedine) Zidane and Ronaldo.