Real Madrid expect to complete the signing of Manchester United target Mesut Ozil within the next two days, according to Marca.The Spanish paper reported that personal terms have already been agreed with the player and now a fee with Werder Bremen is the only thing that needs to be finalised.

Real had an initial bid of €9 million (£7.4m) rejected, but have now upped their bid to €14m although Bremen are still thought to want €18m.

After Real put in their first offer Bremen director of sport Klaus Allof said: "We have received an unacceptable offer that does not even provide any basis for negotiations."

Jose Mourinho confirmed his desire to sign the player last Friday when he said: "He is a very good player and I would be delighted were he to come to us.

"Bremen have said no so we will have to see how things develop.

"If he comes, it would certainly be excellent. Ozil would definitely help us.''

The 21-year-old playmaker, part of an exciting World Cup team who finished third in this year's finals in South Africa, has been the target of several major European clubs.

Mourinho's arrival at the Bernabeu has raised expectations that the Spanish league's big spenders can end Barcelona's two-year reign as champions and Ozil's Germany team-mate Sami Khedira has already joined the Madrid club since the World Cup.

Didier Drogba believes that he has improved since he first arrived at Chelsea, and plans to remain with the Blues for another five seasons.
The Ivory Coast international scored a hat-trick in Chelsea’s season opening 6-0 destruction of West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, and Drogba has now scored 21 goals in as many matches since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations in January.

Drogba believes that his summer surgery to fix his long-term groin injury has rejuvenated  him, and the Ivorian thinks that he can play on for years to come.

"I am better at 32 than I was six years ago, when I came here," Drogba told the Daily Mail.

"I am scoring more goals, I am more calm, more relaxed on the pitch and it helps a lot.

"If I keep playing in a team like this I can plan maybe five more years.

"I was only 25 when I started at the highest level, so I feel young. I still love the pitch, running. I don't count the runs I make. Maybe in a year or two it will be different."

The Blues hitman would love to top his tally of 37 goals in all competitions last season, but Drogba would be fine with scoring less if it means that Chelsea go on to win more trophies this term.

"I don't want to be too ambitious.

"I'd rather score 20 goals but win the Champions League and the Premier League.

“It's not really about my performance but I've always tried to improve my statistics. It's just the mentality I have. It's important in the collective game to improve as an individual and bring a lot to the team.”