Real admit Makelele off to Chelsea

Real Madrid's sporting director Jorge Valdano bowed to the inevitable and said the club were selling French international midfielder Claude Makelele to English Premiership outfit Chelsea for 24 million euros (26.2 million dollars).

"Everything is signed, but there are some clauses pending: the (bank) guarantees must arrive by 1200 (1000 GMT) on Monday," said Valdano, confirming reports Friday that the club were ready to sell the 30-year-old Makelele assuming he passes a weekend medical at Chelsea.

Sources close to the player said Makelele, who complained some of his Real teammates were earning some five times his salary of 1.2 million euros a month, would triple his wages at Chelsea, who have now spent some 160 million euros this summer on new stars since Russian oil billionaire Roman Abramovich took over in July.

Real will look to use some of the Makelele cash to shore up their defence with Argentine Roberto Fabian Ayala of Valencia an imminent target, the clubs currently negotiating a fee of around 12 million euros.

However, they will also likely have to replace Makelele, who for three years since arriving from Celta Vigo has been a consistent performer in deep midfield.

Last season's Champions League semi-final exit against Juventus came with him out of the side injured.