Real target Sven

Real Madrid have made the first moves in a fresh bid to lure England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson to the Bernabeu.

Although no official contact has been made with Eriksson through formal channels yet, it is understood intermediaries working for the Spanish club have already started sounding the Swede out about taking over from Jose Antonio Camacho.

Camacho resigned yesterday after just six games in charge. His assistant, the former Real goalkeeper Mariano Garcia Remon, has taken over and while the club say he is in charge until the end of the season, he is seen as a stopgap appointment.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is a known admirer of Eriksson and has tried to hire him before. With David Beckham, Michael Owen and Jonathan Woodgate now playing at Madrid, the temptation to sign Eriksson will be stronger than ever.

Last night senior Football Association sources indicated they had not received any approach from Madrid over Eriksson.

But it is thought that they would be willing to let him go following the recent scandal over his relationship with a company secretary and concerns over the size of his £4million a year salary.

Just six weeks ago FA board members were briefing against Eriksson and were only prevented from sacking him by the size of the compensation package they would have to pay him, thought to be as much as £14m.

Now Real would have to pay them to take Eriksson. Although he signed a new four-year contract with the FA in May after he was linked with a move to Chelsea, it is thought the FA would only demand one year's compensation - around £4m.

Trevor Brooking, the FA's director of football development, and Steve McClaren could be asked to take temporary charge for next month's World Cup qualifiers against Wales and Azerbaijan if Eriksson goes.

Eriksson, at a UEFA coaching conference in Stockholm, last night ducked questions about Real Madrid.

But his agent Athole Still denied there had been any move. He said: "It's the old, old story. No one has contacted me from Real Madrid or purporting to be from Real Madrid."

He added, however, that there would be "nothing illogical" about the move.