Porto reveal Real Madrid offer for Carvalho

Porto president Nuno Pinto da Costa has revealed he's rejected an offer from Real Madrid for defender Ricardo Carvalho.

"It was so low I didn't even consider it as valid," said Da Costa yesterday. "I didn't waste my time studying it."

He added, "(Real Madrid president) Florentino Perez spoke to me last Wednesday about Carvalho. We chatted without intermediaries."

Da Costa also denied any approach had been received from Barcelona for either Carvalho or midfielder Costinha.

Real will continue to negotiate with Porto for Carvalho, with it being suggested that their opening offer was for £8 million. Perez is understood to be prepared to go as high as £14 million.

But they will face competition from Chelsea, where former Porto coach Jose Mourinho is keen to take Carvalho to England as a replacement for veteran Marcel Desailly.