• Madrid want to recoup £30m for former Chelsea
winger
• Pérez still in the chase for Liverpool's Xabi Alonso
Arjen Robben is not keen on leaving the Santiago
Bernabéu.
Real
Madrid have
warned Arjen Robben that they are prepared to leave him out of
their squad next season if he refuses to leave the club this
summer. The Dutchman is not keen to leave the Santiago Bernabéu and
his father responded to reports of a move to Tottenham Hotspur
by insisting
there was "no way" his son would sign for the White Hart Lane
club. But
Robben has been left in little doubt as to his position at
Madrid.
The club's director general, Jorge Valdano, has admitted: "It
would be better if Robben listened to the offers coming in for
him." And it has now emerged that he has threatened the Dutchman
with the possibility of being banished to the stands in a World Cup
year if he insists on staying. Robben risks being left without a
squad number and not being registered for La Liga or the Champions League.
Madrid consider Robben too injury prone to stay at the Bernabéu
and have earmarked Bayern Munich's Franck Ribéry to occupy his
position on the left of the attack. The club's adviser, Zinedine
Zidane, has said that Madrid "will do all we can to sign Ribery".
Although sources at the club play down its significance, Robben is
not helped by his status as Ramon Calderon's marquee signing – the
one promise the former president kept.
However, the central reason for wanting to sell Robben is
financial, as Madrid seek to recoup some of the money spent on
Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka and to raise cash to make more signings
this summer. Madrid already have 30 players in their squad and plan
to sign as many as five more, with the president, Florentino Pérez,
tonight claiming the transfer of David Villa was "just a matter of
time". Spanish league rules allow for only 25 first-team squad
members.
That has left Madrid looking to offload as many as nine current
players and Robben is top of the list. He is the one expendable
player for whom Madrid believe they can command a major fee. He
joined the club for £24m from Chelsea two years ago and Madrid
remain hopeful that, after an impressive second half to the last
campaign, he could bring in as much as £30m.
Madrid will have been encouraged in their pursuit of the
Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso after he failed to dismiss
suggestions that he was looking to leave Anfield. Asked by the
Cadena Ser radio station if he would be disappointed having to stay
at Liverpool next season, he responded: "I can't answer that
question." To which the interviewer replied: "And with that you
have said it all."
Meanwhile Barcelona have met representatives of Alonso's
current midfield partner, Javier Mascherano. A two-hour meeting was
held between Mascherano's agent, Walter Tamer, and Barcelona in the
Rey Juan Carlos I hotel in the Catalan capital. Barcelona, however,
believe the ball is in Liverpool's court and Rafael Benítez says
the Argentinian is not for sale.
