I would leave Lazio for Real, says Salas

Chile striker Marcelo Salas has revealed that Real Madrid are the only club he would leave Lazio for, although he admitted that no concrete offer has yet been made by the Spanish champions and he would prefer to stay in Rome.

"It's an honour to hear that a club like Real are interested in me," Salas said. "Who would say no to a club like that that is always a candidate to win titles?"

Salas has struggled to hold down a regular first team place at Lazio, and the club tried to sell him to Parma last season. Salas, though, refused to leave; with Real, he promises, it would be different.

"If Lazio decided to sell me to Real Madrid, I wouldn't make a fuss as I did when they tried to sell me to Parma," he said. "But I would only go to Real; I wouldn't go to any other team."

Salas was adamant that he had not received an official offer from Real. "All the newspapers are saying that I'm moving to Spain. They say that Lazio want to sell me and that there is no place for me in this team. I don't understand that, because the directors and my agents have said nothing."

"I want the situation cleared up as quickly as possible. If Lazio have received an offer, then I would like to know about it. It's not a pleasant feeling to be rejected after spending three years at the club."

Salas was one of the hottest striking properties in the world when he announced his intention to quit River Plate in 1998 to sign for Lazio. Since then, his currency has dipped after losing his place to Argentina striker Hernan Crespo and spending time out due to injury.

In his first season in Serie A, he scored 15 goals in 30 outings. A natural goalscorer, Salas is predominantly left-footed and is an excellent header of a ball.

He won the Scudetto with Lazio in 2000 as one of the main players. However, he endured a difficult 2000-01 season at the Stadio Olimpico.

He was dropped after refusing a move to Parma and was reportedly the subject of bids from Juventus and Inter but negotiations led to nothing.

But he fought his way back into the side following injury to Argentine striker Claudio Lopez and played regularly until he suffered a knee injury in March 2001 which ruled him out for two months.