Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti remained coy when asked about the possibility of Erling Braut Haaland playing alongside Karim Benzema at Bernabeu next term.
Los Blancos are said to be firmly in the race to sign Haaland from Borussia Dortmund, with the Norway international believed to have a £67m release clause in his contract.
Real Madrid, Manchester City and Barcelona are believed to be in a three-way battle for the 21-year-old, who has netted 23 goals and registered seven assists in 25 outings at club level this term.
However, when asked about a possible partnership between Haaland and Benzema, Ancelotti admitted that he could not provide an answer and instead decided to hail his current centre-forward.
"What a question! I'm sorry, I can't answer that. What I can say is that Benzema is a modern-day forward. In the past, the number nine would stand in the box and finish off whatever came his way," Ancelotti told reporters.
"Karim is what modern football demands of a striker, finishing, playing, defensive work... He is the perfect example of what a centre-forward should be today."
Benzema has been in excellent form for Real Madrid during the 2021-22 campaign, scoring 37 goals and registering 13 assists in 37 appearances in all competitions.
