Real's Pavon rates Giggs above Beckham for skill and speed

Francisco Pavon believes Ryan Giggs is a bigger threat to Real Madrid than their reported summer transfer target, David Beckham.

Speaking a week before the Champions' League quarter-final first leg between his side and Manchester United, Pavon singled out the Welsh winger as a major danger.

"I like Ryan Giggs more than Beckham because he has more depth in his game, he's more skilful with the ball at his feet and maybe Beckham is a bit limited by only playing on the wing and sending over crosses to the strikers," the central defender said. "Maybe he could play well in central midfield, because he moves the ball well. He's a bit tied down on the wing and he doesn't have a real burst of speed to get away from a full-back such as Roberto Carlos. Giggs is more difficult because he is faster."

That does not mean Pavon is ready to ignore the risk posed by Beckham, whose rumoured possible summer switch to the Bernabeu has dominated much of the build-up to the tie.

"Their attacking football is very dangerous, they are a team full of quality players and Beckham, [Ruud] Van Nistelrooy and Giggs are quality players. They are fast and can score a goal at any moment," Pavon added.

However, the 25-year-old has no doubt about who is the best side overall. With the likes of Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, Raul and Roberto Carlos in the ranks, Pavon believes Madrid are more than a match for anyone.

"We are without doubt the best team in the world, we are the reigning Champions' League, Intercontinental Cup and European Supercup holders and I think we have the best players in our squad," he said.

Meanwhile Pavon's team-mate, the former Liverpool and England winger Steve McManaman, told the Spanish press that he does not believe rumours surrounding Real's supposed interest in Beckham.

"Beckham is a good friend of mine, he is an excellent person and a great footballer, but I don't pay much attention to rumours," McManaman said. "He only renewed his contract with Manchester United a short while ago."

However, McManaman was willing to discuss whether Beckham would have a place in a Madrid side.

"We have a very good squad, imagine what it would be like if we signed a player like Beckham," he said, admitting there could be problems with Figo if Beckham moved to the Bernabeu. "It's difficult, they both play in the same position and Luis is a good friend of mine as well as being a fantastic player."

According to some reports, United are set to win the race to sign the Republic of Ireland international Damien Duff, with Sir Alex Ferguson preparing to pay around £10m for the Blackburn Rovers winger in the summer.

The news that United are keen to land Duff may disappoint the Liverpool maanger Gérard Houllier, who has wanted to bring the 24-year-old to Anfield. But Ferguson has already been warned that his Duff deal relies on other players leaving Old Trafford first.

The Turkish midfielder Nihat Kahveci is another player to have interested Ferguson, who reportedly asked his England players to give him an assessment of Nihat in last night's Euro 2004 qualifier at Sunderland. The 23-year-old plays for the Spanish side Real Sociedad.

The former United player, Jordi Cruyff, now with Alaves, said Nihat had improved tremendously since John Toshack signed him from Besiktas last season.

"He is unbelievably quick and shoots from everywhere. If he played alongside a big centre-forward, he is very good feeding off that type of player, because he is so incredibly fast," Cruyff said.