Real Madrid is already considering the future without Karim Benzema. The Frenchman recently won the Ballon d’Or but is now 35 years old. He may have a good year or two of top-class football left. Thus, the whites prepare for life after Benzema.
According to the Spanish outlet Fichajes, they have identified three players for the position. The list includes Erling Haaland, Brazilian wunderkind Endrick and Rafael Leao. However, replacing it will not be an easy task. Last season alone he scored 44 goals and also provided 15 assists in all competitions.
Not only this, Real Madrid relied heavily on him to get them out of difficult situations. He is also an all-round player when it comes to his building game. In general, the Frenchman is one of the most complete forwards in current football. Also, it’s not every day a player can score 44 goals in a season.
Although this season he has scored 13 goals for Real Madrid in all competitions. He is on his way to scoring 20 goals, which is considered a good benchmark for forwards. Therefore, Los Blancos do not have much time to replace him. Next season he will be 36 years old and, although he is very fit, his form may not last long.
Will Real Madrid be capable of signing these goals?
Of the three players mentioned above, Erling Haaland seems to be the obvious choice. The Norwegian has conquered the Premier League. He has effortlessly brought his Bundesliga form to Manchester City. He is currently the top scorer in the Premier League with 21 goals.
However, bringing him to the Santiago Bernabéu will be a difficult task. Last summer he joined Pep Guardiola’s team for 60 million euros. Manchester City activated his release clause to sign him. They will demand a huge fee for it too. It is also unclear if Haaland wants to leave just after one season.
While Rafael Leao is not a peer-to-peer replacement. The Portugal international is very talented, but he has thrived as a left winger rather than a striker. Just last season he helped AC Milan win Serie A after 11 years. Besides, he will be an expensive signing. However, it will be easier for Real Madrid to sign him than for Haaland.
As for Endrick, he is already at Real Madrid. The whites decided to pay 60 million euros to sign him. However, he is only 16 years old and he is not expected to replace Benzema immediately.
Any forgotten goal to replace Benzema?
Only this summer, Kylian Mbappé seemed ready to sign for Real Madrid. However, the PSG star made a U-turn and signed a new contract with the Parisians. Despite his contract renewal, he is still linked with a transfer to the Bernabéu. However, it seems unlikely that he will wear the famous white jersey.
Mbappé’s shares have grown even more after the World Cup in Qatar. In addition, currently, there is the possibility of a recession in the world economy. This will make it difficult for the whites to raise the funds to sign Mbappé. While PSG are also very determined to keep him in Ligue 1 as well.
Another option for Real Madrid could be Duscan Vlahovic. The Serb is one of the most talented young strikers in football today. He has been scoring for fun in Serie A with Florentina and Juventus. Not only that, he is only 22 years old and his best days are yet to come.
Also, this is a very good opportunity to sign him from Juventus. The Bianconeri are going through a serious financial crisis. They are being investigated by the Italian authorities and UEFA for false accounting. While many believe that Massimiliano Allegri’s defensive tactics have limited Vlahovic’s goalscoring prowess at the Allianz Stadium.
