Real Madrid to sign Chelsea target Khedira

Fresh from picking up his bronze medal at South Africa 2010, word reaches IBWM tonight that German midfielder Sami Khedira has asked his representatives to complete a deal with Real Madrid.

Spanish newspaper Marca have confirmed this evening that Real have made a bid of 8 million euros for the player, and are prepared to offer up to 15m to get their man.

Jose Mourinho had originally identified Liverpool's Steven Gerrard as a a priority signing for his new Real Madrid midfield, but is understood to have agreed to compromise on this with Gerrards age and the financial implications of the transfer -  with a fee upwards of £30m being mooted - proving prohibitive.

Khedira had been identified by the English media as being high on the shopping list of Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti, and with good reason.  

At 23, Khedira has already proved a more than competent replacement for Michael Ballack at international level and with Ancelotti given a brief to reduce the average age of his Chelsea squad, the Stuttgart midfielder certainly fits in with Roman Abramovich's plans.  

Khedira, with just one year left on his contract at Stuttgart has made his intentions clear though and is set to join Real this week.

Will Manchester City or Real Madrid get Argentina's Angel Di Maria?

I dare say there will be a fair few rumours about who is going where over the coming weeks should topics of conversation ever move away from Vuvuzelas and Jabulani's....or how crap England are.

99% will be mere speculation and most of these will involve Manchester City, as is always the case with these things, but some just look inevitable. Especially where the shrinking violets that are Real Madrid are concerned. 

 

Di Maria; Bernabeu bound?

Currently in the Madridistas sites, (and I’ll include the word ‘allegedly’ here) allegedly, is Argentina’s fleet of foot young left winger, Angel Di Maria, who looked a little more into his stride against South Korea this week....but Manchester City have also been linked

"I have not been called about anything new, I hope it is true that my transfer goes ahead, because it will be a great option," stated Di Maria, speaking to Spanish sports daily Marca this week.

"I have not spoken to anyone about my move to Real Madrid, because right now I am solely focused on the World Cup", added young Angel. The fee is suggested to be somewhere in the region of £30m, which certainly sounds like a Real Madrid type amount of dosh to this correspondent. There have already been reports of medicals being carried out for the player.

Of course I should add a word of warning here, as the majority of quotes do seem to be emanating from the player, rather than the club, and we all know how Real Madrid like to keep these things quiet. (Ahem).

Quite exactly where Di Maria would fit in considering that Cristiano Ronaldo is already in situ at the Bernabeu is one issue; another is whether new Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho quite fancies the player.   All encouraging for Roberto Mancini at Manchester City.

The enigmatic Jose may well prefer to send his large amounts of cash in the direction of his former employers at Milan, with Inter reluctantly sticking the likes of Maicon, Milito or even Samuel and Cambiasso onto a train bound for the Spanish capital.

No doubt there will be more to come.

Comments welcome.