Riera stunning form for club and country has attracted serious interest from two Spanish and two Italian clubs, with Fiorentina and Real Madrid being linked.

El Mundo Deportivo says the only chance of Riera being prised away from Espanyol is if a club is prepared to meet his £16 million buyout clause.

However, Espanyol directors are resigned to losing the winger at the end of the season and sports chief Paco Herrera is already drawing up a shortlist of potential replacements for the Spain international.