Real Madrid to use adidas cash to land Arsenal's Vieira

Real Madrid sports chief Emilio Butragueno has backed away from comments he made earlier this week over their interest in Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira.

Butragueno insisted last night: "All I said was that Vieira is an important player and then I hear reports that we have signed him. That is too much. There is no new information and Vieira is not a Madrid player."

And Real boss Jose Camacho claimed: "I think there has been some confusion about what Butragueno said. It is one thing to say a player is important and it is another thing to sign that player."

Real unveiled a £30million sponsorship deal with adidas yesterday, which could finance a move for the French midfielder.