Zinedine Zidane plays down Cesc Fabregas talk

Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane has played down suggestions that his club could launch a move for Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas in the latter stages of the transfer window.

Fabregas was left on the substitutes' bench for the entirety of Chelsea's 2-1 win over West Ham United in the Premier League on Monday, and it is understood that the Spaniard is considering his future at Stamford Bridge.

Real Madrid have been credited with an interest in the former Barcelona midfielder, but Zidane has claimed that he is already well stocked in the middle of the park.

"If you want to put another central midfielder into the mix then it becomes complicated. Cesc [Fabregas] is a great player but it is not very straightforward. I am going to end up with a squad where three or four players do not get selected. To therefore put another player in there makes it difficult," Zidane told reporters.

Real Madrid, who open their La Liga campaign away to Real Sociedad this weekend, have only signed one new player this summer, bringing Spain Alvaro Morata back to the club from Juventus.