Zidane is still Real's top target

Real Madrid are ready to bid again for Zinedine Zidane.

The French star is close to ending his spell in Italy with Juventus and is preparing June talks with the current Champions League holders on a £28 million transfer that could also involve player swaps.

Real president Florentino Perez says Zidane and AC Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko are his top two summer targets with Real prepared to offer Guti plus cash for the Ukrainian star.

But Zidane is a more likely new recruit for Real and his agents have long standing contacts with the Perez regime at the club who set aside £25 million last month to sign the play maker.

The former Bordeaux star helped World Cup holders France win Euro 2000 last year and was then talked about in Spain as a target for both Real Madrid an FC Barcelona as they went through presidential campaigns to find new leaders.

Real president Perez said last summer that the club were not bidding for the French star last year but talks did take place in Paris in June but Zidane's agent axed the move over Internet rights again.

The 29 year old is finishing his fifth season with Juventus and signed a new contract with the Turin club last September.

Zidane was part of the 1997 Juventus team that lost the Champions League final to Borussia Dortmund but he did help them to a 24th Italian championship that season.

He was again on a losing side in the Champions League final of 1998 when Real Madrid won 1-0 against the Italian club but was voted European and World Footballer of the Year after helping France to win the World Cup.