Real confident they can sign Kaka, Fabregas and Robben

MADRID, July 4 (Reuters) Real Madrid are confident they will be able to sign AC Milan midfielder Kaka, Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas and Chelsea winger Arjen Robben despite the reluctance of the respective clubs to sell the trio.

''The most important thing is the desire of the players and about that we have no doubts,'' Real's sporting director Predrag Mijatovic told Antena 3 television today. ''They all want to come and play at Real Madrid.'' Real's newly elected president Ramon Calderon said he would bring all three players to the club during his campaign but none of their teams have yet said they are prepared to negotiate.

Mijatovic, who played for Real between 1996 and 1999 and scored the winning goal in their victory in the 1998 European Cup final, said he would also have to make some tough decisions about which players were regarded as surplus to requirements.

''You can't let friendship interfere with work and you have to say some things to people even when they might hurt them,'' he said when asked how he would approach the problem.

The 37-year-old said he was confident a new-look team would be capable of challenging Barcelona's recent domination in the Primera Liga.

''Barca won't have it their own way like they have done over the past two seasons,'' he said.

Real's new president Calderon has said that he intends to appoint Italian Fabio Capello as coach.

Capello, who resigned as coach of Juventus on Tuesday, led Real to the league title in 1997. Mijatovic was a key member in his squad.

REUTERS PDS RN2049