The transfer could be settled in the "coming days", sporting dailies AS and Marca and Cadena Ser radio said.

Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster has been on the record as saying that the Spanish giants needed the likes of Robben and Ballack.

Robben, 23, has two years left on his contract with Chelsea and has been in long drawn-out negotiations with the London club over a contract extension until 2012 but has not always been in favour with the club's Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho.

German captain Ballack has not played since he was injured playing for Chelsea in their Premiership match against Newcastle in April and had an operation to remove a loose bone from his ankle shortly after.

The 30-year-old missed his club's Champions League semifinal with Liverpool, the FA Cup final win over Manchester United and this month's Euro 2008 qualifiers.