Real ready to pounce for Nesta

Real are confident of landing Lazio's Italian international defender Alessandro Nesta ahead of the 2002/03 season, according to reports.

Lazio apparently contacted Real chairman Florentino Perez at the weekend to inform him that they would be willing to listen to offers for Nesta. Perez plans to speak to his Lazio counterpart Sergio Cragnotti when he returns from business engagements in Argentina and Chile on Thursday.

Real tried to sign Nesta earlier in the summer but their plans were scuppered by the player's decision to stay in Rome.

Lazio's decision, however, to sign Dutch international centre-half Jaap Stam from Manchester United on Monday may have disappointed Nesta now that he is no longer automatically regarded as the number one defender at the Stadio Olimpico.

The Spanish champions now have to decide whether to make a push for Nesta in December, when the transfer window re-opens, or wait until the summer to pounce.

Real coach Vicente del Bosque has requested reinforcements in defence, primarily at right-back, but the Spanish giants are also in need of some solid cover in central defence. Team skipper Fernando Hierro will turn 34 in March and cannot possibly be expected to play in all of Real's Liga, Champions League and Copa del Rey matches and captain Spain in Korea and Japan.

The Madrilenos have Hierro and Aitor Karanka as their first-choice centre-backs with just Ivan Campo acting as immediate understudy. Geremi Fotso was given a run-out in the position during the pre-season but failed to impress and the natural choice should the team find itself in difficulties, Ivan Helguera, is out for two months after recently undergoing an operation on a fractured foot.