Real Madrid have confirmed they are interested in luring Daniel Agger to the Bernabeu when the transfer window re-opens in January.

The 23-year-old has struggled to force his way into Liverpool's starting XI after a lengthy rehabilitation from a broken foot, with Reds boss Rafael Benitez having opted to start the season with the defensive partnership of Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtel.

Benitez is thought to be keen on retaining Agger's services, but Real vice president Jose Angel Sanchez admitted they are poised to make an offer for the Denmark international, who still has two years to run on his current deal at Anfield.

"He (Agger) is a player we have been looking at for a long time and it is likely we will bid for him in January. He is a world-class player and without doubt he would fit into our plans," Sanchez said.

"We already had plans about buying Agger this summer, along with some other players, but the Robinho situation took so much attention and demanded so many resources from the club that we had to drop the plans about putting a bid in for Agger and other players that we had in mind.

"What we need is a defender and a striker, and, at the moment, Agger is on top of our list."