Real Madrid Swoop For Hibs Ace Steven Fletcher

Feb 10 2008 By Scott Mcdermott

Exclusive Madrid On Trail Of Hibs Striker

REAL MADRID are planning a sensational s4million swoop for Hibs striker Steven Fletcher.

Incredibly, the Spanish giants rate the 20-year-old as one of the 10 hottest prospects in European football.

MailSport understands the La Liga title holders have already watched the Scotland Under-21 star at least twice and will visit Easter Road again before the end of the season.

Real's former super scout Jeff Vetere, who joined Newcastle United last week, was so impressed by Fletcher he sent glowing reports to Bernabeu sporting director Predrag Mijatovic.

The Spanish champs arranged to watch the youngster last week in Portugal at the Vale Do Tejo tournament but he pulled out of Billy Stark's Under-21 squad through injury.

Real have a global scouting network but MailSport can reveal Fletcher has passed the first stage of their recruitment policy and is now on a 10-man list of young targets.

Madrid's director of youth football Miguel Angel Portugal will assess the Hibs hitman again before making a final decision.

And he would have been impressed yesterday had he seen Fletcher come close to scoring with a spectacular overhead kick in the televised 1-1 against Dundee United.

A Bernabeu source said last night: "It's true Fletcher is in the second phase now. We will watch him again before making a definite decision."

Real scouting chief Julen Lopetegui, who received the first reports, added: "He is now one of 10 young players we are watching across Europe. It's a complicated process and we know it will be a hard choice."

Fletcher's cause has been helped by input from Spain's Under-20 coach Juan Santisteban and Under-21 gaffer Inaki Saez.

Saez is a huge fan after watching Fletch help Scotland reach the final at the Under-19 European Championships in Poland two years ago.

Spain beat the young Scots in the final and Saez was also impressed by Fletcher at the Under-20 World Cup in Canada last summer. He said: "During the last couple of years the level of young players in Scotland has increased.

"Fletcher is proof of it. He has a big future and I can't understand why he isn't playing for Celtic or Rangers."

Sky Sports Spanish pundit Guillem Balague reckons Real value the Easter Road starlet at around s4m.

He said: "I know the scout who watched Fletcher and he sent favourable reports to Mijatovic."

Fletcher signed a new five-year deal at Hibs in December, making him the club's highest-paid player.

The Old Firm and Blackburn Rovers have also been linked with the hitman who has scored 34 times in 133 appearances.

And Fletch proved his worth last season when he bagged a double in the 5-1 CIS Cup Final thumping of Kilmarnock.