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Zinedine Zidane says he would have loved to have played alongside former England pair Steven Gerrard and Paul Scholes.

In an interview with Shortlist in which Zidane was asked to name his all-time Premier League 11, the Los Blancos boss picked out the pair for special praise.

Zidane revealed that he had asked Real to sign Gerrard but the ex-Liverpool captain was too fond of his club to move to the Spanish capital. It is common knowledge that Gerrard was also identified as a transfer target by Jose Mourinho when the Portuguese was in charge of the club.

“For a time he was the best midfield player in the world. I told Madrid I wanted to play alongside him, but he was loyal to Liverpool. That was lucky for them, because he was a pleasure to watch and the complete midfield player,” he said.

Scholes, a Manchester United legend, spent his entire career at Old Trafford. And Zidane described him as one of the best players of his era as he was able to make even the hardest of moves look easy.

The Real boss commented: “One of my favourite players from any era, he was a player who made the hardest things look so easy.”

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Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos has claimed his former team Bayern Munich would be “a good option” as the rival to face in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Ahead of the draw that will determine Los Merengues rival in the next round of the European competition, Kroos surprised many by claiming: “I think Bayern would be a great option. Regarding the differences between the Bundesliga and La Liga, I think in Germany they’re a bit more aggressive, while here teams try to play the ball more, but the level is high in both leagues and very similar.”

Jese Rodriguez and Mateo Kovacic also attended that press conference. The Los Blancos home-grown footballer gave his views on the upcoming draw: “These are the quarter-finals of the Champions League, so any team will be difficult. We have to be concentrated and give our best.”

The Spaniard also commented on the recent game against Las Palmas, the first one he has played at his home region with Real Madrid: “Playing at Las Palmas was very special and I’m happy for my people’s welcome and for earning the three points.”

Meanwhile, Kovacic spoke about his debut with Los Blancos: “My first goal in the Champions League was very special, but the game I will always remember is my debut with Real Madrid.”

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Real Madrid face a crucial summer transfer window, as this could be the last time they are allowed to sign until 2018. The FIFA transfer ban threat is a big concern for Florentino Perez, as Los Blancos could be forbidden to sign players during 2017.

Thus, Los Merengues need to plan their squad for the next two years and sign all the players they need next summer, and also sell those who won’t take part in this new era.

According to the latest Real Madrid transfer news, Zinedine Zidane and Florentino Perez have already started planning an overhaul, and their main doubt is whether to keep Cristiano Ronaldo or let him go. The fans are divided on this matter, but most would probably agree to sell if Los Blancos receive a good offer.

Here are the main reasons why Real Madrid should sell Ronaldo:

1. He is 31 years old. Ronaldo’s physical condition is amazing, and he could probably keep performing at the highest level for a couple of years more. But, let’s face it, from now on, he will become slower, he could have more injury problems, and he won’t be able to dribble defenders so easily. The Portuguese has given Real Madrid his best years, and Perez should be clever to sell him before those days are over.

2. Recover the investment. Ronaldo is completing a great season and that has caused that his market value is still pretty high. Should Real Madrid sell now, they could probably recover most of the money they paid for him. Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United have shown an interest and they would surely pay at least 80 million euros, which would be enough for signing a decent replacement for the forward, one much younger and with a bright future ahead.

3. Sell him now, or keep him until 2018. If the transfer ban is confirmed, Real won’t be able to let any players go until January 2018, since they won’t be allowed to sign a replacement. If Cristiano Ronaldo’s performance drops during 2017, that will be a big problem for Los Merengues.

4. Don’t repeat the Raul and Casillas situations. The Portugal international has a strong personality and he will not accept to be benched if he is in a poor state of shape, or simply not enough to be a starter at Real Madrid. The same thing happened with Raul and Casillas, who were guaranteed starters for a time despite their poor fitness. And when the manager finally had the courage to bench them, it caused a big conflict. Imagine Zidane deciding to leave Ronaldo on the bench? Spain could have their second Civil War.

5. Change the style of play once and for all. Real Madrid have been criticised for their direct style of play, which is not possession based and relies too much on players being selfish rather than playing as a team. That will not change until Ronaldo leaves, because the Portugal international is that type of player that always shoots, even when assisting a team-mate is clearly the best option. Letting Ronaldo go would allow Zidane to established a new style based on solidarity and passing.

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Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez is attracting the interest of Real Madrid, according to reports in the UK.

British tabloid the Daily Star suggests the former Barcelona man could be heading to the Santiago Bernabeu having been identified by Real chiefs as the perfect man to replace James Rodriguez or Isco should they leave the club in the summer.

Alexis impressed many in London in his first season as he helped the Gunners to the FA Cup in May last year. But injury and a loss of form have hampered him this campaign. Reports suggest that the Chilean, whose contract expires in two years time, is considering his future away from the Emirates Stadium after the north London side saw their season collapse in the months after Christmas.

Having been top of the league on January 4, Arsenal are now 11 points behind leaders Leicester with nine games remaining. They were beaten by Barcelona in the Champions League and knocked out of the FA Cup by Watford.

The tabloid says Alexis would like assurances that the club will spend money in the transfer market before committing to a new deal.

Should the club take their time, Real could swoop in for the 27-year-old to replace Isco – who has been linked with the Gunners – or Rodriguez – who is attracting the interest of Manchester United, Chelsea and Bayern Munich.

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Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa, the chairman of FC Porto, has rubbished reports he was critical of goalkeeper Iker Casillas at a recent dinner party he attended.

Reports in the Portuguese and Spanish media have suggested Pinto da Costa was heard blaming the ex-Real Madrid man for the team’s exit from the Champions League and the fact they are not going to win the title this season.

Having read the reports, the chairman has distanced himself from them, going so far as to say that the veteran shot stopper win in fact be handed a new deal.

Now it’s on Casillas to decide, the deal is done on our end, we told them to sign whenever they want to,” he commented.

Speaking about the report that appeared in El Confidencial, he stated: “That news made me laugh, as it states that I had dinner at the home of a great fan of the club, and a friend of mine, Jose Manuel de Mello. Problem is I have never even met the gentleman, and, according to what I was told, he passed away a couple of years ago, unfortunately. I never had dinner, or lunch, with the deceased – I actually would like to, with a few, if I could – which proves this is absurd.”

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Former Arsenal right back Lauren says he turned down the chance to join Real Madrid to sign for the Gunners.

The retired Cameroon defender signed for the north London side in 2000 from Real Mallorca in a 10 million euro deal.

Lauren went on to play 242 games for the Gunners and won the Premier League twice as well as three FA Cups. He was part of the ‘Invincibles’ team that went through the entire Premier League campaign unbeaten in 2003-04.

In an interview with AS, the now 39-year-old revealed how his move to Arsenal took place and said Los Blancos were interested in him at the time as well.

“I met up with David Dein and Arsène Wenger on the outskirts of London. They offered me a cup of tea and we talked about football. I took that as their way of trying to figure me out psychologically as they already knew what I was like on the pitch,” he said.

About the chance to join Real, he said presidential candidate Juan Onieva approached him but he was too tempted to join Arsenal.

“Onieva made me an offer to join Madrid but it was the encouragement I got from Wenger which convinced me that Arsenal was the place for me.”

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Former Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho says it is easier to win the Champions League for Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich than it is with any of the English clubs because of the intense nature of the Premier League.

His old side Chelsea crashed out of the competition at the hand of PSG last week. The French side were crowned champions of Ligue 1 with eight games to go. And on Wednesday night, Barcelona saw off Arsenal to reach the quarter final of the competition. Los Cules lead the La Liga race by eight points and look set to easily retain the title they won last May.

Speaking to BT Sport, Mourinho said the competitive nature of the Premier League means teams such as Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool and Manchester City are all having to play huge games in the same week as playing in European competition whereas their European counterparts can usually take their foot off the pedal in their respective leagues.

“Some countries in this moment, it is easier for them. A team who are champions in February – that team have much more conditions to be successful than a team that are playing until the last match of the season in May,” he said.

He continued: “I’ll give you an example: Two years ago I played Champions League semi-final with Chelsea against Atletico Madrid. Two days later I was playing Liverpool v Chelsea at Anfield to decide the champions of England.”

And the Portuguese boss summed up his opinons by saying: “So I would look to a Spanish team – Barcelona, Real Madrid – I would look to a German team – Bayern Munich – and I would say comparing the competitive realities during 10 months, I think they arrive in the key moment of the season in better conditions than other clubs.”

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Diego Llorente
Diego Llorente playing for Rayo Vallecano - Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images

Real Madrid home-grown defender Diego Llorente, who is spending a season on loan at Rayo Vallecano, has confessed he dreams of playing for Los Blancos first team.

Recent Los Merengues transfer rumours have suggested the 22-year-old will return to the Santiago Bernabeu next summer, as requested by Zinedine Zidane.

In an interview with Spanish newspaper Marca the Spaniard was asked about that possibility: “I will give my best to fulfill this dream I’ve had since I was a child, which is playing for Real Madrid, the team that has seen me grown since I was an Under-9.”

The current Rayo man explained his days at Real Madrid Castilla under Zidane’s management were a great experience: “Zidane was one of the reasons I stayed at Castilla, despite having offers from other teams. It was a unique opportunity to have him as a manager. I learnt a lot, because he would talk a lot to us and I remember every counsel he gave me word by word.”

Llorente made his debut for the first team under Jose Mourinho and he has good memories of the Portuguese coach: “People have an image of him that is wrong. For example, in a match against Real Sociedad, Adan was sent off when I was going to come in the field, and the day after I was training with the first team and he came to explain himself. As a youngster, I didn’t think he had to, but he had that gesture. Those are personal details that people don’t see but can leave a mark on you.”

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Real Madrid are planning to renew their squad in the next summer transfer market in order to prepare for a possible one-year transfer ban.

According to the latest Los Merengues transfer news, Zinedine Zidane could see up to ten men leave the club, so he will need to bring in plenty of new players.

Last week we analysed the centre-backs that Los Blancos are eyeing. This time we take a look at the midfielders that Florentino Perez and Zidane are considering to sign. These are the top 7 candidates to arrive at the Santiago Bernabeu next summer.

7. Vladimir Darida

Darida is a 25-year-old defensive midfielder who plays at Bundesliga side Hertha BSC. He has been recently linked with Real Madrid following a report revealed by Spanish newspaper El Pais, in which Los Blancos scouting experts recommend to sign the Czech international. He is a player of great physical strength and would be a cheap choice, as his current market value is just seven million euros. However, a few members of the board of directors believe he is not good enough to join Real and that will complicate his arrival.

6. Lucas Lima

Lucas Lima
The Brazilian has been in Real Madrid’s radar for a few months now. He has been incredible at Santos, conquering the league title and being named in the team of the year. The 25-year-old has caught the attention of many European giants. However, the investment group that owns 80% of the player’s rights are expecting to sell him for 60 million euros, and there is no way Florentino Perez will pay that amount for a footballer that has no experience in European leagues.

5. Rodrigo Bentancur

The 19-year-old is one of the biggest prospects in Argentina. Los Blancos held negotiations with Boca Juniors during the winter transfer market and for a few days it seemed like a done deal. According to reports from Spanish newspaper Marca, Perez had agreed to pay 10 million euros for the midfielder. However, in the last minute he changed his mind. Bentancur is a young talented player with a bright future ahead and it wouldn’t be surprising if Real finally bring him. However, he would probably be loaned to other team where he could adapt to European football.

4. Youri Tielemans

The 18-year-old has been a personal recommendation of Zinedine Zidane, according to Marca. The Los Blancos manager believes Tielemans will become one of the greatest midfielders in Europe and he wants Madrid to sign him now that his price is still affordable, just like they did with Raphael Varane. The Anderletcht man has made a big impression in the Belgian league. He is a player of great quality and strong mentality, and he could cost less than 20 million euros.

3. N’Golo Kante

N'Golo Kante
Thanks to his excellent season at Leicester, the French midfielder has become one of the most sought-after players in Europe. He is also one of the players recommended by Los Blancos scouts in the report revealed by El Pais. Kante has been compared to Claude Makelele, probably the last world-class defensive midfielder to have played at the Santiago Bernabeu, so certainly Zidane would love to have a player like him. The competition to sign him next summer is expected to be tough, with Arsenal and Chelsea also interested in bringing him.

2. Paul Pogba

The Juventus star has been one of Florentino Perez’s most desired players for some time. Barcelona also want him badly, but in both cases the main problem is his price. The Italians expect to get near 100 million euros for the France international, and the only team that seem willing to pay that amount are Paris Saint-Germain. Pogba would surely be an excellent add for Los Blancos. Perez hopes Real’s buy-back clause on Alvaro Morata can help him exert pressure on Juve to reduce the price, but still that will be a difficult deal.

1. Marco Verratti

Marco Verratti
The Paris Saint-Germain footballer was Carlo Ancelotti’s favourite to reinforce Los Blancos’ midfield, and Zidane also seems keen on bringing him. The 23-year-old would help Real gain balance, as he is a very complete box-to-box midfielder. The main obstacle for his arrival is again his price. The Italian had a buy-out clause of 50 million euros, but he has recently signed a contract extension, possibly increasing that clause. Still he is cheaper than Pogba and Perez could include other players in the deal to try to convince PSG.

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Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos has a multi-million euro deal on the table from Arsenal, according to reports.

Media outlets in the UK and Spain, including Madrid-based daily AS, claim the German World Cup winner is subject of serious interest from the Gunners, who are expected to carry out serious changes on their midfield this summer.

Mikel Arteta, Tomas Rosicky and Matieu Flamini are all expected to depart, while there are long term concerns over the fitness of Jack Wilshere. Boss Arsene Wenger began his rebuilding work in January with the acquisition of Mohamad Elneny from FC Basle but big name players are expected to arrive this summer at the Emirates.

Kroos has a deal with Los Blancos until 2020 but is thought to be considering his future following an indifferent campaign at the Santiago Bernabeu. Should he decide to leave, Los Blancos would command a huge fee in excess of 35 million euros for the 26-year-old central midfielder.

His possible arrival at the Emirates Stadium could also convince another German and ex-Real Madrid star, Mesut Ozil, to remain at the club. With the Gunners in poor run of form and likely to end the campaign without silverware, there are concerns he could look to play his football elsewhere.

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