Real Madrid start talks over Rui Costa

Real Madrid want Rui Costa if they cannot sign up Zinedine Zidane and have already started talks with Fiorentina.

There is the chance that Real will sign both Zidane and Rui Costa as they prepare for their centenary celebrations.

AC Milan want to take advantage of Fiorentina's financial crisis and sign play maker Costa.

Milan are offering £28 million for the creative star and Fiorentina are looking to clear massive debts by selling off their best players with new Milan coach Fatih Terim insisting that Milan beat off interest from SS Lazio and Real to buy Costa.

Rui Costa is likely to move on in the summer after seven years in Florence.

Fiorentina confirmed debts of £45 million on Monday and are looking to sell off all their top stars with Inter wanting striker Enrico Chiesa and goalkeeper Francesco Toldo still looking to complete a transfer to FC Barcelona.

But Real Madrid are now in talks with the Florence club says Costa and they do not want to see Rui Costa sod to an Italian rival.

The situation is similar to last summer when Rui Costa was identified by Real as a suitable replacement if they failed to land Zinedine Zidane from Juventus.

The Spanish champions have kept up their interest in the Portuguese star and hope to seal his move if the expected transfer of Zidane to them does not come off next month.

A midfielder with more of the subtle arts than most of his European contemporaries, Rui Costa can drift out of games completely and regularly frustrates the Fiorentina support. When the midfielder is on form he is an unrivalled creator of chances for those around him. For the Portuguese national side he lacks a reliable finisher to round off the moves he starts but Nuno Gomes performed well at Euro 2000 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 is now at Milan.

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. But Milan were winning the race to sign Rui Costa with Real now buying Zinedine Zidane.

Real have met strong resistance from Juve over their Zidane plans and Juventus themselves may put in an offer for Rui Costa if Real actually do sign Zidane.

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.