Real Madrid have all but accepted defeat in their quest to sign Liverpool’s Xabi Alonso, Valencia striker David Villa and France winger Franck Ribery. Director of sport Jorge Valdano admitted today the prospects of bringing the trio to the Bernabeu are slim despite their massive spending power.
The Spanish giants have been linked with a host of players since Florentino Perez, who was first in charge during the famous ‘galacticos’ era, returned as president. He wasted little time in rebuilding the team, swiftly signing Kaka from AC Milan before tabling a world-record offer for Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo.
Valdano claims there will be at least four new faces to follow this summer but admits it will be difficult to bring in several other of their main targets, while he has also revealed coach Manuel Pellegrini was not consulted before €94m was agreed as the fee for Ronaldo.
"It is always complicated to sign players, even though it may not seem like it by how fast we've signed Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo," he told Radio Marcaand Onda Cero.
“With regards to Xabi Alonso, Liverpool made an announcement on Sunday and it seems to me they don’t want to sell him, so it will be hard for him to end up playing here.
“I’ve always liked him, since my first time at Real Madrid. I did a massive effort to bring him here a few years back, we met with Real Sociedad but when I left the deal slipped into the background.
“Liverpool valued him at €18million last year because he wasn’t an essential player. But he is now. They’ve given him more chances to play and he has responded magnificently.”
Madrid are trying to build a team to challenge treble winners Barcelona but Valdano concedes the European champions are favourites to get Villa from financially-stricken Valencia.
Reports suggest Barca are prepared to pay around €50million, as well as offer players Bojan Krkic and Jose Martin Caceres, for the Spain international and Valdano admits they are not prepared to better that bid.
“If Barca have offered 50million for Villa, plus Bojan and Caceres, I would sell if I was Valencia because we’re not going to try and top that,” he added. “We have been in discussions over the last week and there were disagreements. On top of money, they want a player and that was causing problems.
“What had seemed to be a deal on track instead became twisted. We don’t know why the price became so high.”
Valdano also confirmed Ribery is too expensive. Zinedine Zidane, who is an advisor to Perez, recently confirmed Madrid were in discussions with France international Ribery.
“Zidane speaks highly of Ribery,” said Valdano. “And at one point there was interest but it’s a difficult one.
“Bayern are asking astronomical figures and it’s clear they do not intend to sell.”
Madrid have come in for some criticism, not least from Catalonia, for the amount of money they have splashed around. However, Valdano has defended the €160million they are set to spend on Kaka and Ronaldo, claiming it is to the benefit of Spanish football as a whole.
“Imperialism is a very big word,” he said in response to criticism from Barcelona. “They (Barca) opened a whole demagogy which is bad taste.
“They are such good players that it annoys me others are making us talk about economy - it’s produced an incredible effect.
“English and Italian football seem to have become impoverished. These signings will benefit the whole of La Liga.”
He added: “They are signings you accept because the strategy of the club has taken us to them.
“But it is a long-term strategy, we started with a cruising speed that is impossible to sustain.
“We didn’t ask (coach Manuel) Pellegrini: 'What do you think of Cristiano, does he suit your taste or not?' It’s obvious. Florentino delighted the coach with these signings.”
