Real Madrid to chase Mendieta

Real Madrid are set to step up their efforts to bring Gaizka Mendieta to the Bernabeu, following the news that Rui Costa will sign for Milan.

Valencia star Mendieta had originally been the club’s third choice, as they hoped to team up Manuel Rui Costa with Juventus' Zinedine Zidane.

Missing out on the 29-year-old Portuguese midfielder will no doubt hurt the club, and Real chairman Florentino Perez is reluctant to pay Mendieta's buy-out fee of $US 52m, and fork out a similar amount for Zidane.

Earlier this week, Real Madrid missed out on signing another player on their wish-list, Michael Ballack, with the midfielder deciding to extend his stay at Bayer Leverkusen until 2002.