Race against the clock to finalise squad

London calling for Isco and James

with the clock ticking down on the transfer window, Real Madrid still have not closed the door on any more deals and will not do so until midnight on Wednesday when the market closes.

The board feel there are too many quality footballers in the team, which is not a problem in terms of salaries and budget but could cause problems as important players will not be getting much competitive playing time - in particular, James Rodriguez and Isco.

On Friday, Zinedine Zidane suggested the Colombian could be a problem if he did not play much but 24 hours later, he changed his mind and opened the door for the midfielder to stay.

The Frenchman now believes he can shape the 25-year-old into a better player following his rather confused performance last season.

His fellow midfielder is in a more favourable position and the coach has confidence in him because of his attitude to work, despite being a regular on the bench.

The question is whether the man from Benalmadena is willing to face a season as a substitute.

Both have said recently they are trained to succeed at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu and nothing has changed their mind, despite knowing they are not part of the chosen XI.

However the market has not closed and so the scenario could change at any moment, particularly with other teams continuing to show interest.

Chelsea are among those keen to have James in their squad, either as a new signing or on loan and London rivals Tottenham Hotspur have made enquiries about his teammate as they need a player capable of competing in the Champions League as well as aiding their fight for a top spot in a difficult Premier League.

Neither situation is simple but unexpected movements are always possible in the final hours before the window closes.

If either finally stayed, Zidane would treat them as though nothing had happened- he would simply have two more players.

5:25 AM