Real Madrid are turning their attentions to Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas if they fail to prise Xabi Alonso away from Liverpool.

Real have not had much luck in getting Alonso away from Anfield. They have also been rejected by Roma in their bid to sign midifelder Daniele de Rossi.

According to Marca, they are not homing in on Fabregas as they bid to include a creative playmaker in the team.

Real Madrid are refusing to meet Liverpool's £35million price-tag for Alonso, and reports indicate that the Arsenal man is now the next target on Florentino Perez's list.

Last week, reports in England suggested that Arsenal valued Fabregas at £40 million, a figure Real are refusing to pay. However, the Spanish club are understood to believe that a deal could be made for a lower fee.

This despite Fabregas himself having repeatedly stated that he sees his future - at least for the coming season - at the Emirates, trying to ensure Arsenal end their four-year trophy drought.

Real have not given up on signing Alonso just yet and will still try to thrash out a deal for the Liverpool man before approaching an almost certainly unreceptive Arsenal for Fabregas, who is also persistently linked with Barcelona, his hometown club, with whom he began his football career as a junior.