EXCLUSIVE
By Alberto Pinero
Real Madrid will look to take advantage of a loan made to Brazilian agent Wagner Ribeiro to tie up the summer signing of midfielder Lucas Moura, Goal.com can reveal.
Madrid coach Jose Mourinho was in Hamburg at the weekend to watch the Sao Paulo star in action for his country in a friendly against Denmark, while also casting his eye on talented full-back Danilo.
But with a midfield partner for Xabi Alonso remaining a priority, the Portuguese coach is stepping up his efforts to sign Moura, and the player's parents have already met and dined with club president Florentino Perez.
Sao Paulo are keen to hang on to the 19-year-old for two more years, but Madrid hope to push through a deal this summer and the player's family have already started negotiations with the Santiago Bernabeu side.
Ribeiro has been a key figure in the arrival of several Brazilians in Madrid, including Kaka, Robinho and Julio Baptista. The agent formerly represented Neymar, too, and attempted to strike a deal to bring the teenage sensation to Real last year.
As Goal.com reported in March, Florentino loaned money to Ribeiro as the agent went through a difficult divorce, with Neymar's proposed move to Madrid supposed to settle that debt.
But the move collapsed and while furious at the outcome of the saga, Perez now hopes to take advantage of the monies owed to him as he seeks Ribeiro's assistance in bringing in Moura, an attacking midfielder who has a strong shot and is also comfortable with defensive duties.
With Ribeiro working on behalf of the capital club and the family already won over by the offer from Spain, Madrid now need to convince Sao Paulo president Juvenal Juvencio, who only days ago revealed he had rejected a €32 million offer for the talented midfielder, thought to be from Chelsea.
PUTRAJAYA, May 21 – The United Chinese School Committees’ Association of Malaysia (Dong Zong) must be “prepared to make changes” and meet conditions set by the Ministry of Education if the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) is to be recognised, the government said today.