Zinedine Zidane and Real Madrid have confirmed transfer talks are underway between the Spanish side and Zidane's club Juventus. The French international made the announcement on his official website but added that nothing has yet been signed. Earlier today, Real confirmed the reports published in this morning's edition of the Spanish newspaper Marca linking the Madrid club with the 29-year-old World Cup and European Championship winner.
The club released a statement on their official website today giving further details about the negotiations. "Real Madrid president Florentino Perez and general sporting director, Jorge Valdano flew to Italy this morning to continue discussions. The talks with Juventus officials have gone very smoothly and have progressed rapidly so far, with both parties doing their best to help reach a definitive agreement," read the statement.
According to the reports in Marca this morning, Juve are willing to sell the FIFA World Player of the Year if Real meet their asking price of £48m but Real are believed to have made a bid of £40m, which would eclipse the £37m Real paid to Barcelona when they broke the world transfer record for Luis Figo last summer.
The Italians, who finished second to Roma in the Italian league, have already paid a total of £54million to Parma this summer for defender Lillian Thuram and goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon. They recouped some of that money with the sale of Filipo Inzaghi to AC Milan this week for £21.7m, but with Inter striker Christian Vieri also on their shopping list, Zidane's sale may be necessary if manager Carlo Ancelotti is to bring in the talented forward.
However, further talks will have to wait until the Frenchman returns home from holidays in Tahiti. He is expected to return to France on July 12 before jetting off to Moscow with French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin to lend his support to Paris' 2008 Olympic bid.
Filed by Amanda Fennelly
