Real Madrid snap up Boca Juniors pair

Real Madrid have signed Boca Juniors pair Santiago Villafane and Juan Forlin.

Both players are 19 years old and saw action for Argentina in this month's U20 World Championships. Villafane is a left-sided wing-back, while Forlin plays at centre-half.

The pair, who will soon receive their Italian passports, will spend the next two seasons on-loan at Real's Castilla team, with the Madrid giants having the option to make the deal permanent.

De la Red challenges Real Madrid over Getafe move.

Real Madrid youngster Ruben de la Red is in the middle of a battle of wills with the club's sports director Pedja Mijatovic.

Mijatovic has agreed a deal with Getafe for the young playmaker, but De la Red would prefer a move to Victor Fernandez's Real Zaragoza, says Marca.

Real Madrid do not want to sell De la Red and is happy with the six-month loan proposal tabled by Getafe. Zaragoza have also made an offer - for the permanent signing of De la Red, which is the player's favoured option.

A decision is expected inside the next 48 hours.

Real Madrid to recall Middlesbrough's Woodgate.

Real Madrid are understood to be considering recalling England defender Jonathan Woodgate in January.

The central defender is currently on a season-long loan with his hometown club Middlesbrough.

"We are happy with Woodgate," said coach Fabio Capello. "He is playing very well in England at the moment."

Capello refused to rule out the prospect of bringing Woodgate back to Spain when the transfer window re-opened.

"If we come across a player that will improve the team then maybe we will consider it, but we shall see."

Woodgate unsure of Real future.

Jonathan Woodgate has admitted that he does not know where he will be playing his football next season, and is content to enjoy his time with Middlesbrough.

The England defender returned to the Premiership on a season-long loan from Real Madrid after an injury-plagued two-year spell in Spain.

"Honestly, I don't know what will happen," he told AS.

"All I want at the moment is to play lots of games here and help Middlesbrough earn a place in Europe.

"At the end of the season we'll have to wait and see. I am extremely happy here and I don't know if Real want me to return. My future isn't in my hands.

"I have only spoken with Real's physiotherapists, with their doctor and Becks [David Beckham]. I suppose it is normal no one else calls me."

Woodgate is pleased with how things are going for him at Middlesbrough.

"I am still a little way off being in perfect condition. But I feel better day by day," he said.

"I have a personalised training plan and every day arrive an hour before everyone else, and leave two hours after everyone.

"I am working hard to be in top shape as soon as possible, but without doubt the most important thing for me is that I am playing every week.

"I knew I had not lost my ability, but you need to get some regularity in order to demonstrate everything is good."

Boca Juniors president wants Gago deal done in Madrid.

Boca Juniors president Mauricio Macri will travel to Spain to finalise terms over midfielder Fernando Gago's move to Real Madrid.

Boca sources have told Marca that Macri wants to thrash out a fee for Gago in Madrid with Real president Ramon Calderon. In recent days Macri has been dealing with Real director Franco Baldini in Buenos Aries.

Real have offered £10 million for the Argentine, which falls £7 million short of Macri's valuation. The Boca supremo also wants Gago to be loaned back to them for the first-half of next year should the deal be concluded by January.

Woodgate on loan to Middlesbrough for this season.

Real Madrid's official website announced that they have loaned English defender Jonathan Woodgate to English side Middlesbrough for one year loan.

The site says-

Real Madrid FC would like to announce the agreement reached with Middlesbrough and Jonathan Woodgate for the one-season loan switch of the footballer to the English Club for this season.

Pablo Garcia on loan to Celta Vigo.

Real Madrid have allowed Uruguay midfielder Pablo Garcia to join UEFA Cup contenders Celta Vigo on loan this season, the nine-times European champions said on their official Web site on Tuesday.

Garcia, 29, left Osasuna for Madrid for an estimated €4.5 million in July 2005, the same time as Real signed fellow countryman Carlos Diogo from River Plate.Diogo was loaned to Real Zaragoza last week.Garcia played 22 league games for Real but was deemed surplus to requirements by new coach Fabio Capello following the arrival of Emerson and Mahamadou Diarra.Real are trying to off-load a number of fringe players before Thursday's transfer deadline.Danish midfielder Thomas Gravesen is expected to join Celtic, Jonathan Woodgate has said he will spend the season on loan at an English Premier League club and fellow centre back Ivan Helguera has been linked with a move to Valencia.

Real Madrid loan Uruguay international Carlos Diogo to Zaragoza.

Real Madrid have loaned out Uruguay defender Carlos Diogo to Real Zaragoza until the end of the season, the two Primera Liga sides said on Wednesday. Diogo, who can play on the right side of midfield and at full back, joined Real from River Plate of Argentina in July 2005.

Tarragona take Portillo on loan.

Spanish striker Javier Portillo will join newly-promoted Gimnastic Tarragona on a two-year deal from Real Madrid, the nine-times European champions said on Monday. Real did not reveal the fee involved but said that they would retain an option to buy back the 24-year-old.

They would also qualify for compensation if the player was sold on to another club.

Portillo broke a stack of Real Madrid goalscoring records at junior level but in the face of competition from the club's collection of top-class strikers he was unable to carve out a place for himself in the first team.

He was loaned out to Italian side Fiorentina in July 2004 and then had a spell at Club Bruges in Belgium before returning to Real during the close season.

Tarragona return to the Primera Liga following a 56-year absence after finishing as runners-up to Recreativo Huelva in the second division last season.

Real's Soldado on loan to Osasuna.

Osasuna has taken Real Madrid reserve team striker Roberto Soldado on loan for one season.

The 21-year-old scored two goals in 11 Primera Liga appearances last season and netted the winner in Real's 2-1 win over Olympiakos in the Champions League group stage.

"The idea is to leave and have a good season with a Primera Liga team scoring goals, and to develop as a footballer," Soldado told Real's Web site. "The following year I want to return to the Real first team. I chose Osasuna because it gives me the chance to play in the Champions League."

Soldado is rated a very talented future striker of Spain.

Real Madrid Castilla's Jurado is also move on, his transfer to neighbours Atlético causing some concern at the Bernabeu, despite an €8 million buy back option which they have retained over the next two seasons. De la Red and Balboa said they want a change as well, and Arbeloa went a few days ago to Deportivo La Coruña, who are building up a new young squad and who have already signed Rodri, Cristián and now Verdú from Barcelona B. Castilla's new coach Michel shouldn't be too concerned though, as he can count on five of the recently crowned under-19 European champions for his team next season.