The Argentine has only been playing in the shadows of forwards Ruud van Nistelrooy and Raul since joining Real on a free transfer in 2007.

"It’s a difficult situation. You have to be very strong mentally because as each game goes by without playing you are destroyed psychologically," Saviola told Marca.

"I spoke to coach Juande Ramos to find out where I stood. I told him I needed to play and if I wasn’t in his plans to notify the management to allow me to go during the January transfer window because this situation is intolerable."

Saviola only made one start for Real this season, and the acquisition of Klaas Jan Huntelaar from Ajax seems to dent the former’s hopes of securing a place with Los Merengues.

The 27-year-old added that the recent changes at Real, which saw Ramos replace Schuster, as well as the resignation of club president Roman Calderon, could force him to leave the club.

"My patience had run out last summer. I spoke to former coach Schuster to find out if he was really counting on me for this year and he said he was. He advised me to stay."

"The club imposed a series of conditions for me to be able to go in January even though they said they still counted on me.

"But it has all been thrown in the air by the resignation of the club president last week."