Real Madrid latest club to join chase for Miguel Veloso

Spanish giants ponder January raid for midfield star

Real Madrid are the latest club ready to make a big-money offer to buy Sporting’s Miguel Veloso. According to Spanish daily newspaper, Sport, the classy midfielder will been targeted by Real as early as January.

The nine-time European champions are set to lose the services of Diarra between 20 January and 10 February as he participates in the African Nations Cup for Mali.

Coach Bernd Schuster has pencilled in Veloso as the man with the ideal profile to cover for the African player, as the Spanish champions fight to keep their King’s Cup, La Liga and Champions League campaigns on track.

One factor favouring the club from the Spanish capital is that the Portugal star has made no secret of the fact he has been a huge Real Madrid fan since his boyhood.

Real Madrid are not alone in wanting to entice the player to their club, however.

Manchester United and Arsenal target

Manchester United and Arsenal have been constantly linked with a move for the 21-year-old, while Valencia, Atletico Madrid, Tottenham and Inter Milan have all shown an interest in the rising star.

Sporting president Sousa Franco reacted to the news by reiterating that Veloso will be going nowhere before the end of the current season.

Related: Miguel Veloso’s dream year gets better and better