Real continue Alonso quest

Madrid's director of football Miguel Pardeza said earlier in the week that they wanted to buy the Spain star although cited Liverpool's reluctance to sell him as an obstacle.

And in a tried-and-tested Madrid tactic to push the price down, they have continued to publicly court their target through the media.

"It's not a mystery that Real Madrid are interested in signing him (Alonso) but it won't be easy," new boss Pellegrini said.

"The attack is complete and perhaps a central midfielder or full-back are still missing but the rest of the positions are covered."

In his first news conference since pre-season training began last week, Pellegrini said reports that all six of their Dutchmen - Ruud van Nistelrooy, Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder, Rafael van der Vaart, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Royston Drenthe - would leave were inaccurate.

"When there is some news the club will announce it," he said when asked which players were on their way out.

"But it's not true that all the Dutch players are going to leave as has been reported in the media."

Pellegrini also responded to criticism of Real's spending policies by Vatican newspaper Osservatore Romano.

The club's splurge of almost £200 million on four players risks inflating transfer fees and pushing clubs towards bankruptcy or into the hands of organised crime, the paper said.

"Everyone has the right to give their opinion, right or wrong," Pellegrini said.

"I am not the one responsible for talking about comments by the Vatican. If someone thinks that it's not good they also have the right to express an opinion."

Separately, Kaka said in a newspaper interview published that Real were spending such vast sums because the players involved were value for money.

"If Real Madrid has decided to spend so much money on us it's because we are worth it, no?" Kaka told Marca.

"In the particular case of Cristiano Ronaldo, who is the most expensive, he has shown he is number one and that he is worth the money."