Perez promises spectacular project at Real

"I am returning with more enthusiasm than when I first stood in 2000. I return with more ideas, more strength and more passion than ever," Perez told a packed news conference at the Ritz hotel in Madrid.

"We are working on a spectacular sporting project but I am not going to give details just now until the election officially opens (May 21)."

Perez, who runs one of Europe's largest construction conglomerates ACS, confirmed he would be standing again in the club's June 14 election.

Asked who the mastermind of the famous 'Galacticos' policy might be luring to Spain, Perez refused to confirm or rule out anyone, other than to say that it would be a lack of respect to talk about players or coaches until the different competitions had finished.

Having said the world's best players should grace the Bernabeu, the names of Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka were thrown at him.

"Yes, Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the world's best players," he replied with a smile to a Portuguese journalist.

On AC Milan's Brazilian playmaker Kaka or coach Carlo Ancelotti, he said, "Yes, I am a friend of (Milan's vice-president) Adriano Galliani. We often speak to each other.

"Sometimes we talk about football, but you'll have to wait until the election."

ZIDANE AND VALDANO

He all but confirmed that former player Zinedine Zidane and former sports director Jorge Valdano would form apart of his team, and said that he had made a mistake when he suddenly resigned in February 2006, after six years at the helm.

Perez signed a handful of the world's most famous, and most expensive, players including Luis Figo, Zidane, Ronaldo and David Beckham.

They won the Champions League in 2002 and league titles in 2001 and 2003, but Perez walked away as the club headed towards a third successive trophy-less season.

The Madrid-based media are tipping Perez as the favourite to win the election that has been called after Ramon Calderon was forced to resign the post in January.