Real Madrid consider loan options for £4.5m Fletcher

Apr 13 2008 Exclusive by Scott Mcdermott

STEVEN FLETCHER'S dream switch to Real Madrid has moved a step closer to reality after the Spanish giants teed up three sides to take him on loan.

Mail Sport understands the Bernabeu club have decided to buy the Hibs striker for £4.5million but will farm him out for a year to Espanyol, Getafe or Real Zaragoza.

Real planned to use Fletcher in their B team initially but after watching his Scotland debut against Croatia last month they believe he can handle La Liga.

General manager Predrag Mijatovic met Hibees officials at Old Trafford last week prior to the Champions League tie between Manchester United and Roma.

A deal is expected to go through at the end of the season and Madrid coach Bernd Schuster will decide which club Fletch is loaned to.

Getafe - who ran Bayern Munich close in the UEFA Cup last week and are managed by Michael Laudrup - take two players from Madrid on loan every season.

This year Ruben De La Red and Esteban Granero have been farmed out.

And Getafe president Angel Torres Sanchez said: "We have a relationship with Real in terms of taking their young players on loan.

"We will be open to that possibility again."

Espanyol's sporting director Paco Herrera added: "We have good contact with Real and will be looking to take a striker on loan."

Mail Sport exclusively revealed Real's interest in the Easter Road starlet back in February.

And they have continued to monitor the 21-year-old's progress along with several Premiership clubs.

But rumours in Spain that Fletcher has already passed a medical with a Madrid club doctor in Edinburgh appear to be untrue.