Madrid Dreams of Ballack
July 28, 2007
New Madrid coach Bernd Schuster said he believes Germany captain Michael Ballack is the type of player his teams needs.
"That's the sort we need, someone of that quality," Schuster told German public television station ARD "With his class, he fits perfectly to Real Madrid."
Though Schuster said he realized soccer stars of Ballack's caliber "are all under contract with big teams" he added that Real Madrid may be able to afford buying players before the contracts come due. The 30-year-old Ballack has signed on with Chelsea until 2010 and has turned down offers from Madrid in the past.
"He was linked with Real back then, when it was clear Zinedine Zidane was leaving," Schuster said of Ballack, who scored four goals in 26 games last season. "He would be the link between midfield and attack and would really be perfect."
Chelsea's many midfielders
This time Ballack will have to consider a possible move carefully as Chelsea coach José Mourinhois rearranging his side and cutting a fourth midfielder out of the roster. Faced with stiff competition from Frank Lampard, Michael Essien, Claude Makelele, Florence Malouda and John Obi Mikel, Ballack could be left with little playing time in England.
Real, meanwhile, has desperately been seeking a midfielder since French star Zidane left, and short of signing away Ballack, Schuster added that he was hoping to finalize the move of the German's Chelsea teammate Arjen Robben next week, according to the Marca on Saturday paper.
The paper also reported that young Marseille midfielder Samir Nasri could be another of Real's international interests.