Defender Diego Llorente has left Real Madrid to join Real Sociedad on a five-year contract.

The 23-year-old Madrid youth product had been on loan at Rayo Vallecano and Malaga in the past two seasons after making just two substitute appearances since 2012.

Llorente said making a permanent move would allow him to settle down, adding that he believed Sociedad was the ideal destination.

"Maybe the stability of a long term contract after two loans [is a positive]," he said. "I believe I have picked up enough experience to take on important challenges now.

"The challenge offered to me here is very attractive, and I am very excited about taking it on.

"I am very happy that a club like La Real has shown an interest in me. When I heard about it I did not think twice, and I believe it has been a very good decision."

Llorente has been capped once for Spain, in a friendly victory over Bosnia-Herzgovina in May 2016.

Information from ESPN FC's Spain correspondent Dermot Corrigan was used in this report.