Soldado Keen On Benfica Move In The Summer

Roberto Soldado is keen on making a move to Benfica after being outcast at Real Madrid, but does not intend to leave the Bernabéu until the end of the season.

The 22-year-old striker has played just 18 minutes in the league this term and was even on the bench for the Copa del Rey game against Alicante in midweek.

After returning from a successful loan spell at Osasuna in the summer, Soldado had high hopes of pushing for a regular place in the Madrid side, but that has not panned out.

Interest from Benfica has now turned his head and he views a move to Portugal favourably as he has been told that he would be a mainstay in the team.

"Benfica would be a good solution for my situation," Soldado explained.

Despite that, his agent has revealed that he will not be leaving until the summer and denied that any contact had been made with Benfica boss José Antonio Camacho.

"Soldado will not move from Real Madrid before June of 2008," Alberto Toldrá stated.

Camacho was told that he could borrow the player with a view to a permanent move, but was not keen on the idea as he wanted Soldado to settle in the country.