Barcelona's Puyol remains on Real Madrid list

Real Madrid will step up their bid for Barcelona defender Carles Puyol if their bid for Patrick Vieira breaks down.

Real are waiting for an answer from Arsenal over Vieira, but in the meantime are drawing up plans for an alternative.

If Vieira doesn't arrive, Real's priority will be to strengthen their defence and president Florentino Perez will try for the controversial purchase of Puyol.

Real Sociedad, meanwhile, have contacted Madrid to encourage them to bid for Xabi Alonso. The midfielder was priced out of a move to Madrid at the start of the summer by Sociedad, but they have since dropped their asking price dramatically and Xabi could be signed for as little as £8 million.