Departures imminent from Bernabeu as Illara, Cheyshev pack their bags

With the transfer window due to close in a week Real Madrid are putting the final touches to their squad.

It looks as if the club is not going to buy a center forward to add extra firepower to Rafael Benitez's option, but Karmin Benzema's message on his social network sites in which he made it very clear he has no intention of leaving the club, means that Real Madrid probably don't need one.

Two players who look to be very close to packing their bags, however, are midfielder Asier Illaramendi and winger Denis Cheryshev.

Illaramendi was left out of the squad for Sunday's 0-0 draw away to Sporting Gijon and the arrival of Mateo Kovacic from Inter Milan and the return of Casimiro from Porto have squeezed the Real Sociedad midfielder further down the pecking order.

Several sides in Europe are said to be interesting, but Illaramendi is thought to favor a return to Real Sociedad, who he left two years ago to join Madrid. The clubs are negotiating a deal worth between 10-15 million euros: something which represents a magnificent piece of business for Real Sociedad, who were paid around 40 million euros (45 million US dollars) when they sold him.

Cheryshev meanwhile looks to be close to agreeing a deal to join Valencia. The Russian international enjoyed a successful loan spell along the coast with Villarreal last season, but with heavy competition in the Madrid attack, he looks unlikely to earn a place ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Isco or James Rodriguez (who himself was only substitute on Sunday).

He too failed to make the bench on Sunday and a move is almost certainly for the best if he is to continue his development.

Lucas Silva could also be moving on as the club looks for somewhere to loan the Brazilian who cost them 16 million euros in January, but whose appearances have been limited to a handful of minutes in a white shirt. Endi