Cup is shop window for transfer market

BERLIN, July 9, (Reuters) More than half of the men who play in Sunday's World Cup final between Italy and France could be involved in European soccer's big transfer merry-go-round before the start of next season.

The Italian match-fixing scandal that has embraced four clubs -- Juventus, AC Milan, Lazio and Fiorentina -- will stimulate intense activity as rival clubs compete to buy their leading players and others who have shone brightly in Germany.

Former Milan, Roma and Juventus coach Fabio Capello has jumped ship to Real Madrid already and, given his track record and new post, is likely to have great influence on some of his former players as they ponder their future.

For some, the World Cup final could be followed by a return home and the prospect of playing in Serie C or a transfer to a club that offers the best combination of sporting success and financial security.

Juventus had five players involved in Italy's semi-final victory over hosts Germany in Dortmund and, given the excellence of the Italian defence and the fragility of Real Madrid's, it is likely that Capello will talk to at least three of them.

OBVIOUS TARGETS Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, captain and central defensive lynchpin Fabio Cannavaro and right-back Gianluca Zambrotta could be obvious targets -- even if Madrid and Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas remains -- as Capello begins repairing his squad from the back.

The new Madrid coach may also be keen to bring in France midfielder Patrick Vieira, a player he signed for Juventus a year ago, who has rediscovered his best form again and, possibly, his club mate and compatriot Lilian Thuram, a supreme defender.

Buffon, however, may be more likely to switch to Barcelona than Madrid as the European Cup holders have made their admiration plain already and could be joined there by another Juve refugee, French striker David Trezeguet.

Madrid, desperate to rekindle the stylish football that brought them three Champions League successes in five years before the failure of the 'Galacticos' era, could also pursue a clutch of Milan men.

Ball-winning midfielder Gennaro Gattuso, play-maker Andrea Pirlo and defender Alessandro Nesta lead the queue.

As expected, Capello has been linked already with more names than Madrid could afford to buy, without a sale at the Bernabeu.

Other World Cup stars on his radar include Brazilian midfielder Kaka, of Milan, who could be a natural replacement for the retiring Zinedine Zidane, Chelsea's left-winger Arjen Robben of the Netherlands and Manchester United's winger Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal.

United, keen to keep Ronaldo unless they find a replacement, are likely bidders, too, for Gattuso as they seek a replacement for departed and retired former captain Roy Keane while Chelsea, angry at new Madrid president Ramon Calderon's declaration of interest in Robben, may be tempted by the versatile Zambrotta.

The ambitious English champions will also enjoy a chance to spoil other clubs' ambitions by enlarging even further a squad that will include Germany captain midfielder Michael Ballack, signed from Bayern Munich, and Ukraine captain striker Andriy Shevchenko, from Milan, next season.

Others probably involved in moves include Juventus' ageing forwards Alessandro Del Piero of Italy and Pavel Nedved of the Czech Republic, and midfielder Emerson of Brazil while Fiorentina are almost certain to sell striker Luca Toni, who has emerged as Italy's finest marksman.

Internazionale Milan, not involved in the scandal, will be favourites to sign many of the Italians who prefer to play at home and could have the pick of a an extraordinary market place before the summer transfer window closes at the end of August.

Reuters PM RN0906