Mendieta turns down Milan to help set up Real Madrid move

AC Milan have failed to land Gaizka Mendieta from Valencia with the midfielder refusing the chance to move to Italy.

The latest offer to Mendieta from Milan has not succeeded with the Spanish midfielder certain that talks are to start soon on a bid from Real Madrid and if that fails then Mendieta may agree to stay at Valencia.

Real Madrid have offered £15 million and three players for Valencia star Gaizka Mendieta.

Real may cool on a bid to sign Patrick Vieira for their midfield but fully expect to sign Zinedine Zidane next month from Juventus and want to add the French play maker to the Spanish star.

Real landing all three with some ease and then selling off players like Ndjitap and Fernando Morientes cannot be ruled out.

Brazilian winger Savio and former Spanish international defender Michel Salgado have been offered to Valencia as part of the deal with young striker Tote also included in a package that tops £35 million and surpasses the cash interest from Italy in Mendieta.

The Spanish international was outstanding as Valencia reached a second successive Champions League final and signed a new contract with Valencia last summer until 2005 but Milan wanted to buy him last summer and have targeted him again.

Under his guidance Valencia have reached the last two Champions League finals but lost them both.

Milan were especially keen to sign the Spanish star as SS Lazio are now seriously rivalling them to sign Fiorentina play maker Rui Costa in the summer.

Mendieta is now seen as Rui Costa's equal and is a more dynamic player according to Milan's glowing scouting reports on the busy 26 year old.

Valencia have a ready-made replacement in midfield with the excellent Vicente who was only rarely used by former coach Hector Cuper.

But now Real are testing Valencia's willingness to keep Mendieta after president Pedro Cortes claimed his buy-out clause was £50 million recently.