March 22, 2008 2:04 PM

SOURCE:
goal.com

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Madrid Secure First Option On Quaresma

According to Portuguese news daily Diário de Notícias, Real Madrid have secured a preferential option for Porto midfielder Ricardo Quaresma...

The Portuguese international has been linked with a move to Santiago Bernabéu, having even asked former team-mate Pepe about life at the Spanish club.

Real Madrid sports director Predrag Mijatovic is said to be infatuated with the skills shown by the Mustang, and has reportedly agreed terms with the player's agent, Jorge Mendes, over a preferential option for Quaresma.

According to the news daily, the 24-year-old's price is the only thing complicating the deal, as Real Madrid are set to make a €30million offer for the player but Porto chairman Pinto da Costa seems unwilling to off-load his star for less than 40 million euros.

It is said that Real Madrid dispatched a scout to watch Quaresma in action in Porto's Champions League game against Liverpool.

The highly-rated winger represented Sporting and then Barcelona, before being sold to Porto as part of the deal that took Deco to Camp Nou.

He was unable to make his mark at Barca, falling out with Frank Rijkaard over his refusal to play out of position on the left, but has insisted he will return to Spain to set the record straight.

Atletico Madrid have also shown plenty of interest in his services.