Madrid to make offer for River's Palacios

Real Madrid are set to make a formal offer for River Plate star Exequiel Palacios "in the coming days", according to agent Renato Corsi. Palacios helped River to Copa Libertadores glory in December and the talented 20-year-old midfielder has been linked with Madrid and LaLiga rivals Barcelona. River president Rodolfo D'Onofrio last month said Madrid were planning further negotiations to sign Palacios, who made his Argentina debut in September.

And Corsi revealed a transfer to send Palacios to the Santiago Bernabeu is at an advanced stage. "The leaders of River got together with Real Madrid in Abu Dhabi," Corsi told La Oral Deportiva de Radio Rivadavia. "In the coming days there will be a formal offer and the operation is quite advanced.The family, Exequiel and I want him to go in June and Real Madrid don't have a problem with him staying at River until then."

Corsi added: "Real Madrid want him and supposedly River will sell. They agree, so between Monday and Tuesday the formal proposal will be presented."