Real Madrid see Rui Costa as summer target

Real Madrid have accepted Zinedine Zidane's decision to stay at Juventus and now want Rui Costa to join them from Fiorentina this summer.

Zidane said yesterday that he wanted to end his career with Juve and the Champions League holders have switched tack in their search for a creative midfielder to the Fiorentina star.

Costa may move on in the summer after seven years in Florence.

A midfielder with more of the subtle arts than most of his European contemporaries, he can drift out of games completely and regularly frustrates the Fiorentina support. They are doing well in the Italian championship and when Rui Costa is on form he is an unrivalled creator of chances for those around him. For the national side he lacks a reliable finisher to round off the moves he starts but Nuno Gomes performed well at Euro 200 to allow Costa to shine at times. He has magical control when running with the ball but can hold onto it too long. The inheritor of the Baggio and Antongnoni tradition with Fiorentina he has long been linked with a move to AC Milan.

Rui Costa agreed a new contract with Fiorentina last July after Euro 2000 when coach Fatih Terim travelled to meet the player on holiday and ask him to stay at the club.

The new deal lasts until 2004 but Terim's exit has now been confirmed for June this year after only one season in Florence with Milan his likely destination.

Milan want him to bring the Portuguese star with him but Rui Costa is close friends with Luis Figo on and off the pitch and he has a link to Real Madrid through their world record signing.

Real failed to agree the purchase last year of Zinedine Zidane who was in talks with prospective new Real club president Florentino Perez last June but Rui Costa would be a god substitute who would also help the Spanish league leaders replace the loss of captain Redondo to Milan last summer.

The Lisbon-born player was taken on by Benfica as a 12 year old but when he reached 17 they loaned him to third division club Fafa. He was voted best player in the third division in his one season there and also guided Portugal to the 1991 World Youth Cup title.

Benfica coach at the time was Sven Goran Eriksson and he brought Costa into his midfield as he built a team that was to go on and lift the Portuguese title in 1994 before his £5 million transfer to Italy.