Real Madrid have gone on a foreign buying spree to boost their Castilla team. This summer marked the first market whereby Real attacked the international youth market in a search for their own version of Barcelona star Lionel Messi. The latest signing, Belgian striker Edouard Kabamba, arrived on Friday from newly established partners Standard Liege. Hungarian striker Adam Szalai joined from Stuttgart for £400,000, while £500,000 was spent on Hertha Berlin defender Christopher Schorch. Arriving from South America are Uruguayan defender Gary, formerly of Danubio, and ex-Boca Juniors wing-back Santiago Villafane.

Sergio Ramos is set to be offered a new ten-year contract to keep him at Real Madrid for the rest of his career after the club drew up a list of young players to build a squad around.

The 22-year-old has already become a firm favourite at the Bernabéu and has pledged never to state that he wanted to leave like Robinho did earlier this week.

While the Brazilian left because he was not granted talks over a new contract until after he felt unwanted, Ramos is being made to feel like a future club captain.

Iker Casillas has already been lined up to take the armband in 2011 when Raúl's current contract ends and he is expected to retire from the game, but Ramos will be his understudy.

Along with the Andalucian defender, Madrid believe that they need to have a core of players upon which to build a squad that will keep them at the top for the next few seasons.

That list includes Wesley Sneijder, Arjen Robben, Rafael Van der Vaart, Pepe, Ezequiel Garay (who will join next summer), Gonzalo Higuaín, Fernando Gago, Marcelo, Javi García, Miguel Torres, Rubén De la Red, Iker Casillas and Ramos.

All those players will be the bedrock, but only the veterans have been in line for a contract-for-life with Raúl, Guti and Van Nistelrooy having been signed up.

Now Ramos is set to become the youngest member of that elite group under Ramón Calderón's plan and sporting director Predrag Mijatovic has already opened talks with his agent and brother, René Ramos.

"We will offer him a nine or ten year deal so that the boy can have a clear idea that his professional career will finish here," Mijatovic stated.

Bojan Krkic has been called up to the Spain squad to replace Fernando Torres as the Liverpool forward has not recovered from the hamstring injury he suffered at the weekend.

After being left out of the initial squad, Bojan has now be named, and would be hopeful of making his first official appearance for La Roja in order to end speculation over which national team he will choose.

The 18-year-old's father is Serbian and their coach, Raddy Antic, is still hopeful that he can persuade the Barcelona goalscorer to play under him.

That statement forced Bojan to state last week that he wanted to play for Spain because he feels more Spanish, but until he actually does the rumours will persist.

"I am grateful for Antic's interest, but I want to continue growing and learning with Spain," Bojan said. "I hope to be lucky enough to be able to make my debut for them soon."

Vicente del Boque's side take on Bosnia and Armenia in the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers and that could give the youngster a chance to play, even if he only comes off the bench at the end of either game.

Torres' injury may not be the way that Bojan wanted to earn his call-up, but a door has opened after the Liverpool star pulled up during the draw with Aston Villa.

Speaking to SkySport24 in Italy, former Juventus and France star Zinedine Zidane stated that, despite the high-profile dramas of the era, he still looks back at his time in Turin fondly...

'Zizou' was in a fine mood as he reflected on his time in Italy.

"I had five years in Juventus, and I have some wonderful memories, partly because the squad were so good to me," he said.

"In addition to the people involved in the club, the people of Turin always treated me so well, and that's why my memories are so fond.

"I still have friends off the pitch, and I speak to them to this day. Cristiano, for example, a taxi driver from Turin, is a friend of mine. He's often in Madrid and I see him every time he's there. These are the beautiful things that result from your time in a city."

Indeed, he had good words to say about Italy in general.

"I have always been treated well so my memories of Italians are good," he continued.

"In the past Juve fans were all very kind. Now some will think differently due to what's gone on, bu I have great memories."

Looking at Roma's purchase of Frenchman Jeremy Menez, he concluded, "He's a good player, but he needs to actually play, because for me he's a real talent, a young one just like [Antonio] Cassano."

Former Juventus and Real Madrid legend Zinedine Zidane has written off the Bianconeri’s chances of success in Europe and he believes Los Merengues will win the Champions League this season.

The Bianconeri will clash with the Spanish champions during their group stage in what promises to be one of the games of the tournament.

Zidane has spoken of both teams chances of success and he is leaning towards the Bernabeu side as he snubs the Old Lady which is not likely to go down too well with Juve fans who still have affection for their hero.

“The game between those two is going to be very strong. I played in Turin and at Madrid, need I say more?” Zidane told La Stampa.

“I will watch the game with great attention but I will be supporting Real Madrid, even though I had a great time in Turin.

“Juventus are a great club with great history and they are one of the most prestigious. I am happy the club returned, it can only be a good thing for European football.

“I think the Bianconeri can have a good run, they have champion players and they are used to success but my favourite for the competition is Real, they will triumph in Rome.”

Zidane arrived in Turin in 1996 from Bordeaux. He spent five seasons at the Delle Alpi before making a world record £52m move to Real Madrid in 2001.

The French man fired Los Blancos to Champions League glory the following season. He was never able to win Europe’s most wanted trophy in Turin and he lost the final of the competition twice in a row against Borussia Dortmund in 1997 and Real in 1998.   

Reports in the French press are strongly linking Real Madrid with PSG youngster Yannick Boli, with a paltry €1 million transfer fee reportedly offered, though the Parisian club are unlikely to let go of one of their brightest hopes.

Though he may not have played even half an hour of Ligue 1 football with PSG, 20 year-old forward Boli has been strongly linked with a switch to the Spanish giants after developing a reputation as one to watch for the future.

The speculation was given further credence when the the player’s agent and uncle, Roger Boli, told l’Equipe, “This is not a rumour; it is concrete. He will sign for three years.”

PSG manager Paul Le Guen has, however, laughed off these assertions, claiming that he does not possess the offensive power to allow a forward to leave, despite the recent signing of Serbian international Mateja Kezman.

Further to the head coach’s comments, an anonymous director told FootMercato, “There is no chance of us selling him for €1 million, it is too silly to discuss. If they offered us €12 million then we might discuss it with them.”

Football.fr spoke to Roger Boli after his original comments were made. He claimed that his nephew is currently undervalued at the Parc des Princes. “Yannick earns €4,000 per month, so about €2,000 Net,” Boli senior revealed, “When we asked for a small wage revision, PSG rejected us, leaving Yannick disappointed.

“He is a thoroughbred Parisian and PSG is the club of his heart. Whether he goes to Real Madrid or elsewhere, I just want him to be happy.”

It seems that PSG are planning on keeping Boli on for a little longer as comparisons with David N’Gog’s move to Liverpool were wholly rejected by the aforementioned anonymous director. “The case of David Ngog was a little different,” the mystery person is quoted as saying, “We took stock of him and felt that he would not progress any more with us and that he needed to leave.”

Ramón Calderón has revealed that Robinho was never going to be sold if Cristiano Ronaldo joined the club, that he could have signed Kaká and that Real Madrid chose not to sign David Villa and Santi Cazorla.

In a question and answer session in Marca, Los Merengues' president spelt opened up about the club's summer transfer activity and gave his side to all the reports and rumours.

Madrid were foiled in their quest to sign Ronaldo and then saw both Villa and Cazorla sign new contracts with Valencia and Villarreal respectively rather than join Madrid.

"I spoke to (Manchester United director) David Gill and he always said that the club did not want to sell (Ronaldo)," Calderón explained. "I asked him about it, obviously, because I thought we could do something.

"It was the same with (Villarreal president) Fernando Roig when I asked about Santi Cazorla. He said no and that was that.

"With Cazorla, we could have signed him if we had wanted to, but we did not want to pay his buy-out clause five days before the transfer window closes.

"That was why we did not sign him, although Villarreal have seen things differently.

"In the case of Villa they offered him to us for €80m and he was never part of our plans for that amount. I do not understand why that turned out like that."

No Need for Kaká

Calderón then explained that he felt Madrid had the chance to finally sign Kaká, one of the player's he promised in his election mandate, but was told not to make a bid.

"It did not appear that Kaká's position needed strengthening, according to the coaches. I did not enter into it," he continued.

"I have to say that it was a possibility to sign Kaká this summer, but I was told that we did not need him now.

"He may have cost €100m, but I do not think that would have been the price. But those in charge told me not to look into it."

With Robinho's move to Chelsea a looking all set to go ahead earlier this week and now looking doubtful, Calderón explained that he feels the player should have remained calm.

"Personally, I think (saying he wanted to leave) was a mistake and that it was a problem with him. I think his representatives advised him badly and they confused him," the president stated.

"But once it had been said it was my job to defend the interests of the club in the best way that I could.

"We did not consider selling him even if Cristiano had joined. Robinho was not going. It would not have been necessary to sell anyone."

Staying United

The Ronaldo saga dominated the summer at Madrid and Calderón has been keen to put his side of the story across after being accused of helping to unsettle the Manchester United star.

"I have said before that all this came down to a problem of communication more than anything else," he said.

"The media become involved and then we wanted to sort it out with the player and his club. But we became spectators and had no role to play in it all.

"We received the news that player wanted to come to Madrid, but as I said throughout it was down to Manchester United to say whether or not they would sell him.

"The player still has a contract with his club and there is nothing more that we can do. I am not thinking about next summer now because I do not know what could happen.

"We just do not know if he will end up playing here or not. I hope he can, but that is another matter.

"There was no call from Ronaldo saying he was not coming. I do not want to give the impression that we interfered in any way with all this, because we did not.

"The relationship between Manchester United and Real Madrid is magnificent still, although it did bother me that their manager made some comments, but we will remain friends.

"We were pleased to hear that Cristiano wanted to come to Madrid, but it is normal that all the great players would like to play here."

Real Madrid midfielder Royston Drenthe has today spoken out about the support in the team for Robinho, the Dutch revolution at Madrid, and of course the league opener against Deportivo…

Speaking to Marca the young Dutchman said, “The feeling amongst us is the same that it always has been. We form a team and he forms part of the team, for which the feeling is equal. What Robinho does is up to him.”

“He does not have any reason to ask our pardon, it is a decision between him and the club,” he assured.

It has been widely speculated that Robinho would be joining Chelsea this summer but with the transfer window now drawing in any deal seems unlikely.  

Even without the Robinho move it will have been a busy summer for the blancos, with Rafael Van Der Vaart the main signing for the club. The Holland international is the fifth Dutchman in the team and Drenthe has nothing but praise for him, saying, “He is a very good player and he is going to fit in very well in the team. We do not lack anything more, I believe we form a good team, prepared to compete and above all win.”

Drenthe has seen his chances at Real limited since joining last year and after returning from the Olympics with Holland he has had to catch up with the rest of the squad, a process which he says is going well. “There is a change of temperature and time to which I have to adapt. The physios are helping me and I am feeling very good,” he said.

With Madrid having been drawn in a Champions League group with Juventus, Zenit St. Petersburg and BATE, Drenthe believes it will be tough, saying, “Everyone says that it is a good group, tough, but one must expect that. With teams of that style what is guaranteed is that it will be a difficult group.”

Last seasons champions begin their title defence at the Riazor this Sunday, a venue they haven’t won at since 1991, and Drenthe says it will be hard.  

“It is going to be a difficult game, not only because it is Depor but because it is the first game of the league. We want to win it and win it well because this the first one and we have an obligation to win well,” he concluded.

In an exclusive interview given to Spanish team Marca, the chairman of Real Madrid, Ramon Calderon, has spoken even of Cristiano Ronaldo negotiation: "The player doesn't have given his definitively agreement. We will see what will happen in 2009".