Real Madrid sporting director Jorge Valdano has said the club are pursuing Lyon striker Karim Benzema.

Speaking to reporters during the launch of a new book by Jose Manuel Otero Lastres, a former Madrid director, Valdano reiterated that Madrid are no longer in the running to sign Spain international David Villa, but he also added that French star Benzema was on the club's wish list.

"Valencia have ruled out selling him [Villa]. When he was put on the transfer list, it was a well known fact that we tried hard to bid for him," said Valdano.

" But when Valencia changed their plans, we had to pull out with great disappointment because he was an objective of ours."

"Karim Benzema is one of the possible objectives of our club. But we are not going to make any speculations because signings only become a reality when negotiations are resolved," he added.

Other than saying it would be difficult to prise Benzema away from Lyon, Valdano also addressed the so-called clear out of players that is expected considering the number of signings Real are attempting.

"To buy and sell simultaneously is a problem and the time will come when the problem will become substantial because there's only two months before the league campaign kicks-off," he claimed.

"The club know what has to be done. Now, what we need is to find buyers and convince the players who, logically, do not want to leave."

Valdano also provoked some speculation when he said that Real would not hesitate to buy players from their biggest rivals Atletico Madrid and Barca, a possibility which previous President Ramon Calderon avoided.

"Why not? If there was a chance that we could do it. The market is on a high and we recognise that Atletico de Madrid and Barcelona are two teams that are capable of reinforcing themselves like any other," Sport quotes him as claiming.

Valdano concluded by expressing satisfaction after the signing of Raul Albiol from Valencia was confirmed.

"He [Albiol] will strengthen an area where he have had some problems," he explained.

"We are also happy with the signing because he is a Spanish player, the second one we've made already after [Alvaro] Negredo. We are very pleased to have him."