Roy’s Real deal: give me a break, says Perez

REAL MADRID president Florentino Perez insists the club have not discussed the possibility of signing Roy Keane and will leave any transfer talks until the winter break.

Real have been closely linked with a move for the former Manchester United captain and it had looked as though a deal could be finalised some time this week.

However, Perez last night revealed the Spanish giants would not be looking at potential new arrivals until they have played their final two Primera Liga games of the year.

Real host Osasuna this weekend before playing Racing Santander at the Bernabeu the following Wednesday.

“Nobody has spoken about it yet (signing Keane) and we won’t speak about it until these next two games are over,” said Perez on a broadcast on Realmadrid television and local channel Telemadrid. “The press are in their right to speak about it but if we signed all the players they talk about we would have 60 players in the squad.

“We are not studying the possibility, nobody is studying it. There is no chance until the 21st (of December), but we will talk about players.”

Perez also rejected suggestions that the board had spoken with midfielder David Beckham about his former Manchester United team-mate.

“Nobody has talked with Beckham or about Roy Keane, nobody has spoken about it,” Perez reiterated.

“Our website in the summer made imaginary line-ups of players who have been linked with us, I suppose Keane would be in that,” he added.

“If we have any needs we will study them after the 21st.”

Should Real sign Keane then it has been suggested that Danish midfielder Thomas Gravesen, who plays a similar role to the Irishman, would be surplus to requirements at the Bernabeu.

However, Perez insists that whatever happens the Dane would be remaining at the club.

“He is not going to go. We don’t have a big enough squad to allow him to leave.”

Keane’s lawyer and agent, Michael Kennedy said yesterday the Corkman will not be making a decision about his future until Thursday.

Mr Kennedy said reports suggesting Keane had already passed a medical at Madrid were “completely wrong.”

However, pro-Madrid daily newspapers Diario AS and Marca share the view that the arrival of Keane, who left Old Trafford on November 18, is close to being completed.

Despite Madrid’s 2-0 Primera Liga win in Malaga on Sunday, Marca chose to splash the Keane story across their front page on Monday morning.

“OK Keane” was their headline.

They add: “Madrid give the OK to the signing with just the medical to pass. (President) Florentino Perez plans to meet with (vice-president) Emilio Butragueno, but don’t worry, the midfielder will sign this week, as long as he can pass medical tests.”

Marca claimed the midfielder will undergo the tests today.

AS claim Keane, 34, will earn around €120,000 (£80,000) a week at the Bernabeu, although they add there is still work to do before the switch is finalised.