Chelsea's Ballack must take pay-cut for Madrid move

Real Madrid are banking on Michael Ballack accepting a massive 50 per cent cut on his Chelsea wages to land the German in January.

Ballack is on over £130,000-a-week at Stamford Bridge and AS says Real are prepared to offer a three-year contract worth little more than half what he earns with the London giants.

Despite the success of Wesley Sneijder, Real will make a push for Ballack, a favourite of coach Bernd Schuster.