Fletcher move to Madrid is 'smoke in the air' says Paatelainen

HIBERNIAN manager Mixu Paatelainen arrived at Easter Road yesterday with an intention to discuss his side's forthcoming friendly with Barcelona but was helpless to prevent the subject of a certain other Spanish club cropping up.

A link between striker Steven Fletcher and Real Madrid had again made the news that morning in a transfer story that has proved as enduring as it is startling. A report claimed Real Madrid are preparing to offer the Easter Road club £3 million for the striker, who is under contract until 2013.

Hence the reason Paatelainen was asked to contemplate Real Madrid as well as Barcelona, who Hibs face at Murrayfield stadium in a glamour friendly on 24 July. It was a novel experience for a Hibs manager and not an altogether welcome one.

Paatelainen flatly denied there has been contact between Hibs and the celebrated Spanish club. This being football, though, there does not need to be contact – not at an official level anyway.

Real Madrid have already proved this with their subliminal courtship of Manchester United winger Ronaldo. Paatelainen sought to make it clear that his own prized asset was not about to move to the Bernabéu stadium.

"I don't want to waste your time or my time talking about it because there is nothing (in it]," he said.

However, The Scotsman understands that contact has been made between a Real Madrid official and the player's representatives. Fletcher, who scored 14 goals last season, is certainly on the radar of Real Madrid, who had him watched when he made his Scotland debut against Croatia on the night of his 21st birthday in March. The story refuses to go away but Paatelainen was not intending for it to spoil his imminent holiday. He described the Real Madrid link to Fletcher as "smoke in the air" at Easter Road yesterday.

"It must make us very bad negotiators because he was worth £5 million a couple of weeks ago and it is £3 million now," he added wryly.

Neither sum had made an impact on Fletcher, reported Paatelainen. His reaction was one of apparent amusement.

"I spoke to him (Fletcher] earlier," said Paatelainen. "He was just laughing. There is no effect on him at all. He is having a break after a long season and in order to be ready for pre-season training."

Paatelainen said he was not concerned by the speculation either. "It doesn't bother me because there is nothing in it," he shrugged. "Why talk about things that are not there? It is smoke in the air."

But the Finn did stress that Fletcher would be best served by remaining at the Easter Road club as he bids to become a more complete player.

"Development is always the most important thing with any player, and the same applies to Fletcher," he said. "He knows he has weaknesses. He is not quite ready to play at the highest possible standard. But he is certainly on his way there. You are never a complete player."

Paatelainen is keen for this spirit of perfectionism to exist within the players even when they are on a brief holiday. The first-team squad is due back at East Mains training centre in less than three weeks' time and each has been given a training programme to follow in their time away. "I am hoping the boys don't rest for four weeks," he smiled. "You only need a week. Some are training in Jamaica and others are training in East Mains."

His own project when away from the club is the pursuit of new signings, with Hibs' season starting on 6 July when they face HB Torshavn of the Faroes or Swedish side IF Elfsborg in the InterToto Cup.

Paatelainen on benji, page 66