Real Madrid President Florentino Perez has set out his view for the future of the club on Tuesday.

Perez was speaking at a difficult time with several players rumored to be following Mourinho out of the club after a season in which Real Madrid has again won nothing and with elections for the presidency due to be held this summer.

In an interview on radio station, Cadena Ser, Perez said that former player, Zinedine Zidane would be the club's new director of sport and that the pair would decide who will be the man to replace Jose Mourinho as Real Madrid coach.

"Zidane is someone, who as well as being very competent, is close to the club and Real Madrid is his only ambition at the moment," said Perez, who added that the former player and the new coach would try and improve a squad which is currently 15 points behind FC Barcelona in the BBVA Primera Liga table.

Perez was, however, reluctant to give the names of any new signings, apart from former B-team defender, Dani Carvajal, who will return from a season in Germany.

"I think he will come, he is one of us and he has always had the hope to form part of the first team squad," said Perez, who said that the defender's arrival would be accompanied by "almost certainly two signings."

Perez also attempted to reject any implication that he had failed in the attempt to sign Brazilian international Naymar, who will instead join rivals FC Barcelona. The Real Madrid president, insisted that Neymar would have cost Real Madrid 150 million euros (193 million U.S. dollars) and said that would have been far too expensive.

He also denied that player pressure had been the reason that Jose Mourinho will leave the club at the end of this season after three seasons in charge. Mourinho's poor relationship with goalkeeper Iker Casillas and defender Sergio Ramos among others had been given as the reason Mourinho will leave despite having three years left on his contract.

"All of the players have spoken very well of him to me," insisted Perez, who said Mourinho had done a good job as coach, despite winning just one league title and one Spanish cup in three years in charge and with a massive investment in signings.

"I never saw an uprising," said Perez, who said that Casillas, who has been on the subs' bench since March as a result of Mourinho's decision, was "the best goalkeeper in the world."

The president also ruled out stories of dressing room friction that the current crop of players was "the most united I have seen since I have been at the club."

Finally he discussed the situation of Kaka, who has had another disappointing season. Perez spent 65 million euros in signing Kaka and defended that he had helped the club improve its earnings.

"The new coach and Zidane will decide his future," said Perez. Endi

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