ZIDANE TALKS RESUME NEXT WEEK - JUVE

It had been expected that the 29-year-old would comeplete his near £50 million move to the Santiago Bernabeu this week, but Juve have revealed that despite talks on Wednesday the deal is on hold.

A statement on the Turin club`s website said: "Zinedine Zidane's future remains undecided after talks between Juventus and Real Madrid in Turin on Wednesday.

"Officials from the clubs met to discuss the transfer of the French international to the Spanish champions, following earlier negotiations in Switzerland.

"We can reveal that the dialogue will resume next week at an unnamed location."

Despite the deal it is expected that Zizou will start pre-season training in Madrid and president Florentin Perez admitted that the first hurdle of getting Juventus around the negotiuating table had been overcome.

"The important thing is that the Juventus have come to the negotiating table and that is the most important advance so far," admitted Perez.

"We go step by step, tying ends, and if everything advances according to plan, over the next week it will all be fact. "If Zidane comes, the Real Madrid public can be calm because we will have fulfilled our main promise.

"The Bernabeu will always enjoy the best players in the world. And Zizou, without a doubt, is it."

Perez, along with sporting director Jorge Valdano met with Juventus officials Roberto Bettega, Luciano Moggi and Antonio Giraudo in Turin on Wednesday to hammer out the details of the world`s biggest ever transfer.

It was originally suggested by Juventus that Claude Makelele and Luis Helguera should be included in the deal, but reports from Madrid confirm that the deal is straight cash, after Real rejected this request and in turn the Italian`s themselves shunned the Spanish side`s attempts to include Brazilian Flavio Conceicao in the transfer.

It now seems that transfer will be concluded when the two parties meet up again next week at the unnamed location.