Real Madrid have no plans to sell under-fire striker Karim Benzema and would welcome having Zinedine Zidane in a coaching role, the Spanish club’s sporting director Miguel Pardeza said yesterday.

Real coach Jose Mourinho said that Zidane, a former Real player who has since June 2009 been a special advisor to Real president Florentino Perez, should be closer to the pitch.

“I would like to have him more with me and less with the president. I don’t think he wants to become a coach but I would still like to have him with me,” he said.

Asked about Mourinho’s wish, Pardeza said that it was a “desire which we take into account”.

“Someone like Zidane is never out of place. He is a world reference and a myth for Real Madrid fans. If in the end he accepts Mourinho’s suggestion, it would be welcome,” he added.

Zidane, a three-times world player of the year, retired from football after his fifth season with Real in 2006 and the World Cup that year.

Pardeza said Mourinho is “generally” pleased with Benzema’s performances “but he also tells us that he thinks the player can give us much more.”

“But we have time, you have to be patient and we continue to back the player. The idea of selling Benzema is not on the agenda,” Pardeza added.

“I’m not despairing. I expect he will triumph at Real Madrid.”

Reports in Britain last week claimed Benzema was being widely tipped for the exit during the January transfer window after struggling to get a start in his favoured centre forward position under Mourinho.