Real ready to bring in £17m Salas

Real Madrid are set to end their search for a striker by signing Marcelo Salas from Lazio for £17 million. The player's agent, Gustavo Mascardi, is reported to have set up a meeting next week in the Spanish capital to tie up the deal.

Reports in Italy and Spain claim that Real have decided Salas is the forward they want to provide competition for Fernando Morientes next season.

Bernabeu sports director Jorge Valdano revealed last month that signing a centre-forward to keep injury-stricken Morientes on his toes was a priority - and Salas has long been a target of the Spanish champions.

"We want to get our No 9 back, but to do that he has to have some competition," Valdano said. "We're going to sign a forward to give Morientes competition for his place."

The player was close to signing for Real last year. In September, he stopped off in Madrid on his way back to Rome from Chile to have talks with Valdano.

Coach Vicente Del Bosque admitted then: "Salas is a player anyone would like in their team. He has had great seasons in Europe and for sure, anyone would like him in their team."

The Chilean added: "Am I joining Real? I wouldn't rule it out. It is normal that there are clubs interested in me and I am taking every offer into account."

Salas signed for Lazio from River Plate in 1998 and scored 15 goals in 30 Serie A outings in his first season.

A four-goal hero for Chile at the last World Cup, he is known to his fellow countrymen as 'El Matador' and has formed a lethal alliance with veteran Ivan Zamorano for the past five years.

However, his progress at Lazio this term has been hindered by manager Dino Zoff's preference for Argentina striker Hernan Crespo and a knee injury he suffered in March that ruled him out for two months.