Real Madrid will have to bring in new players before the start of the season to balance the side, coach Jose Antonio Camacho warned on Tuesday.

"This team doesn't need touching in terms of attack but the defence is another matter," Camacho said in an interview with the club's web site. "We're short of a player or two and we have to balance the squad."

He added: "We know that this team will attack with five players. We have to make sure we defend with the same number."

Camacho's comments came as Marca newspaper claimed Real had increased their offer for Arsenal's defensive midfielder Patrick Vieira to 30 million euros.

"You can't speak about specific names," Camacho said. "People were claiming that Ricardo Carvalho and Vieira had been signed but as yet there's been nothing."

Real, who failed to win a trophy last season, have made just one new signing for the new campaign, bringing in Argentine defender Walter Samuel at a cost of 25 million euros.