Real Madrid set to offload Saviola

Javier Saviola has been put up for sale by Real Madrid amid reports of several interested sides, but he may have to lower his wage demands to secure a transfer.

The Argentine has stated that he wanted to stay at the Bernabeu and prove himself after a first season that saw him only given minimal chances to shine following a move from Barcelona last summer.

Madrid is not impressed, however, and coach Bernd Schuster has instructed the board to find Saviola a new club before the players depart for pre-season training camp in Austria later this month.

Wolfsburg is one club to have made its interest official, while Italian sides Juventus, Fiorentina and Napoli are all monitoring the situation, according to the media.

Madrid only wants €5m for the player that cost Barcelona €18m from River Plate when he was tipped to become a huge star in Argentina almost seven years ago.

Saviola now realises that he will only spend another term on the bench if he stays with Los Merengues, but is refusing to lower his personal demands.

Earning €3m-per-season at Madrid has meant that any other club keen on securing his services will have to match that fee and none of the current interested parties want to.