Rumour is rife in footballing circles this week with regards to how Real Madrid plan on closing the gap on possibly the best club side football has ever seen, their rivals, Barcelona.

However, “Operation Madrid 2014″ is allegedly the action they wish to take. A shortlist of five youngsters supposedly on Mourinho’s radar was this week leaked to Spanish paper Marca, who are sometimes labelled “Madrid’s mouthpiece,” due to the consistent nature as to which they announce ongoings inside the Spanish giants. Interestingly for fans of English football young Arsenal and England international Jack Wilshere appears on the reputed shortlist alongside the much rumoured Gunners target Belgian Eden Hazard, Barca’s very own Rafinha Alacantra, German wonderkid Mario Gotze of Borussia Dortmund and finally Athletic Bilbao’s Iker Muniain.

It is estimated that in the current climate of crazy transfer fees (see: Andy Carroll if you’re in need of further proof), that if Real Madrid are actually going to carry out Operation Madrid that it would cost them in the region of around at least £120million. Gotze, Wilshere and Hazard alone have been quoted at around £30million each.

It is a known fact that Madrid’s current side is clearly not up to the challenge of Barcelona in La Liga. Recent signings Mesut Ozil, Sami Khedira and Angel Di Maria have helped but they do not match up to the likes of Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta. Barca’s side is however ageing, Xavi is 31 and Iniesta 27. If Madrid were able to get in ahead of Barca and snap up these youngsters in the hope that they could build a side capable of taking on the world by 2014 then they may just have a chance. By 2014 Barcelona’s current side will inevitably be a shadow of its current self and many players may have moved on, so if Mourinho can start shaping and moulding a side viewed at targeting for the future then chances are Madrid would have every chance of returning to their past glory days in the Champions League and winning Domestic titles like they did with ease when they had the likes of Zinedine Zidane and Luis Figo running the show.

The Madrid side have a proud tradition of nurturing through talent and snapping up youngsters from around the world. Current captain Iker Casillas has been at Madrid for as long as the memory cares to remember. Regular internationalists Sergio Ramos and Gonzalo Higuain were also snapped up at young ages from Sevilla CF and River Plate respectively.

Therefore we should probably not be surprised by this supposed bombshell that Madrid are plotting on dominating the world stage by 2014 by relying on youth.

Will Jose follow his nemesis Sir Alex by proving poor old halfwit Alan Hansen wrong ? …… Time will tell.

Comments appreciated.

Sky Sports News have suggested that this man, Kaka, could be on his way to White Hart Lane.

They are “unconfirmed reports” according to Mr.White, but the Real Madrid playmaker, Kaka that is, is supposedly in London.

Stay tuned for updates and why not visit our Facebook page where we are keeping over 600 footballs fans across the globe bang up to date with all the latest transfer news and gossip.

Update - ‘Arry Redknapp doesn’t think it’s going to happen. For some reason, I don’t think this is over just yet.

Real will, according to reports, fork out a whopping £40 million on the Brazilian international once the Copa Libertadores final is over and done with, in which Neymar’s Santos take on Penarol.

Chelsea originally made a bid of £30 million for Neymar. However, they now look set to miss out on the 19 year old who many believe is one of the most promising young players in world football.

Madrid are now clear favourites with the bookmakers to sign Neymar and if his goalscoring record is anything to go by, he will be a huge success at the Bernabeu. He has scored 66 goals in 134 appearances for Santos and also has also netted on three occassions for Brazil.

Neymar is tipped to be a pivotal part in the future for the Brazilian national side leading up to the World Cup in 2014, and with the 2011 Copa America in just a few weeks, he will have the chance to showcase his talents and abilities.

The Portuguese international, considered by many as one of the best players ever to play the game, has been strongly linked with a move to Manchester City in recent weeks.

Given the financial clout which Manchester City undoubtedly posses, it seems that the FA Cup winners are willing to do almost anything to bring Ronaldo to Eastlands.

The supposed source also added: “Cristiano says there has been contact ­between him and a third party. He says that he is extremely flattered at the lengths they’re willing to go to.”

“He says he wants £400,000 a-week as taxes are higher in England.”

You’ve got to love that last quote. He wants £400,000 a-week because taxes are higher in England. As if he really needs anymore money. The 26-year old is already considered to be on the brink of becoming a billionaire, but oh no, he still needs to take home almost half a million pound a week.

Apparently, Ronaldo will also demand the captain’s armband and the number 7 shirt at Manchester City if he is to make the move, which would no doubt cost the club around the £150 million mark.

What do you think? Will the former Manchester United man make the move to City? Comments below please.

Pastore, 21, is one of Europe’s hottest properties, and will be hoping to light up this year’s Copa America in his Argentinian homeland.

Manchester City, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Barcelona, and a host of top Italian teams have all been closely monitoring the talented midfielder, and now that he has made public his intention to leave the Sicilian club, Palermo’s hopes of holding onto Pastore look bleak.

“I feel that the time to leave Palermo has arrived,” he stated.

Club owner Maurizio Zamparini slapped a €50 million price tag on the player earlier in the season to ward off Europe’s elite, but it now appears his asking price could be considerably less as he is resigned to losing his prized asset.

“Pastore is the only player who could leave. It all depends on the boy,” Zamparini admitted.

“He earns less than €1m and if a big club offered him €4m then it would be hard to keep him. Palermo can’t afford that and we have to balance the books.”

Pastore has made 69 appearances for Serie A side Palermo since arriving at the club for €5 million in 2009 from Argentinian outfit Hurracán, and has established himself as their key player. The creative midfield man has also affirmed his place in the national side, and was a part of Diego Maradona’s 2010 World Cup squad.

In an already busy transfer window that is getting increasingly more exciting as each day passes, Javier Pastore looks set to be another high profile move. Remember the name, he is a definite star of the future.

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Yes, according to the Mail Online, Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham are all understood to be ready to make a move for Higuain.

Higuain, 23, is considered by many as one of the most natural finishers in world football. However, the last few months have been difficult for the former River Plate man as he only returned to first team action towards the end of the season after a serious injury.

In 13 appearances for his country, Higuain has scored 7 goals, 4 of which came in last summer’s World Cup in South Africa.

Arsene Wenger, Roberto Mancini and Harry Redknapp are all expected to sign a new striker this summer, but which, if any, will get their hands on Higuain. What do you think? Comments below please.

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Newspapers are doing their best to increase sales and boost traffic to their websites by linking certain players to certain clubs, knowing full well that the punters will buy the paper or click onto their site. I suppose we’re no better considering we give our take on these rumours hoping that you’ll read.

Anyway, what have we got for you today.

Cristiano Ronaldo is wanted back in Manchester, but it’s not his old employers United after him, it’s neighbours City.

The Real Madrid midfielder/striker (take your pick) has been in simply sensational form in recent weeks and has now overtaken Barcelona’s Lionel Messi in terms of goals this season.

However, despite performing so well on the field, there is now talk that Ronaldo, 26, is growing increasingly frustrated with life under the management of Jose Mourinho. Following the side’s Champions League semi-final 1st leg defeat against rivals Barcelona, Ronaldo criticised Mourinho’s tactics, and as a result, he was dropped for their next league game.

Manchester City will, of course, be playing Champions League football next season and as a result, have been linked with a number of the world’s top players in recent days and weeks. Any potential City bid for Ronaldo will no doubt exceed the world record fee of £80 million which Real paid Manchester United back in 2009.

I for one would love to see Ronaldo back in the Premier League. On his day, he is simply a joy to watch and I am one of those people who still considers him the best player in the world. Although it’s unlikely, you never know what might happen, should City offer Real over the £100 million mark. What do you think? Will Ronaldo be wearing a City jersey next season? Comments below please.

The Brazilian playmaker has struggled to find form and fitness since his move from Milan, and his future in the Spanish capital is in some doubt.

Kaka, 29, has made only 9 La Liga appearances in Real Madrid’s starting XI this season, and is beginning to attract attention from some of Europe’s elite clubs, including the team he was signed from, AC Milan.

Milan chief Silvio Berlusconi has opened the door for the Rossoneri to re-sign the Real Madrid man. The Italian outfit are looking to rebuild their aging squad this summer, having already tied up deals for Phillipe Mexes and Taye Taiwo from Roma and Marseille respectively.

“Kaka is an extraordinary man,” Berlusconi commented. “If he wants to come back to Milan we will welcome him with open arms”.

Chelsea are also thought to be keen on signing Kaka when the transfer window re-opens. Kaka’s mother, Simone Leite, recently hinted at a possible move to the English capital on Twitter.

“Next season we will be in London, spreading the word of God. We will be there from August. I tell you”, she wrote. Make of that what you will, but I have no doubts that Chelsea will be doing everything in their power to persuade “them” to make the move.

So where do you see Kaka playing his football come the 31^st of August?

Leave a comment below and have your say.