Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho is keen to bring Thiago Motta with him from Inter Milan. AS says Mourinho has the former Barcelona midfielder on his shopping list as an alternative to top midfield transfer targets Steven Gerrard, of Liverpool, and Roma's Daniele de Rossi.

Mourinho sees Motta as the ideal defensive foil in midfield for Xabi Alonso. His arrival would place a huge question mark on the futures of Lassana Diarra, Fernando Gago and Mahamadou Diarra.

Should he arrive, Motta would become only the third ever player to pull on the shirts of Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid. So far only two players can boast that claim: Luis Miranda and Bernd Schuster.