Real Madrid have reportedly drawn up a three-man shortlist of potential replacements for long-serving striker Karim Benzema.
The Ballon d'Or winner's future remains unresolved heading into the final three months of his contract, and he could be set to depart on a free transfer at the end of June.
Despite his struggles for fitness this season, Real Madrid have been expected to at least sanction a new short-term contract for Benzema, who remains a consistent threat in the final third when fit.
The ex-France international has 18 goals and five assists in 27 games this season, but he turns 36 in December, and Real are starting to plan for life without their number nine.
According to reports in Spain, Florentino Perez has come up with three ideal successors to Benzema, the first of which is Kylian Mbappe, whom Real tried and failed to sign for a couple of years before he signed a new Paris Saint-Germain deal.
PSG rejected a £137m offer from Real Madrid for Mbappe at the end of the summer 2021 transfer window, and the French champions were seemingly set to lose the 24-year-old on a free transfer last year.
However, PSG managed to agree a new two-year deal with the option of a third with Mbappe, but he allegedly wanted out again just a few months later, having admitted that he made a mistake by penning fresh terms.
Without activating his 12-month extension, Mbappe is due to become a free agent in the summer of 2024, potentially forcing PSG into a sale at the end of the season as they prepare to offload one of their star forwards.
Meanwhile, Benfica and Portugal striker Goncalo Ramos is also thought to be on Los Blancos' radar, having continued to shine at domestic level since the end of the World Cup.
The 21-year-old memorably scored a hat-trick for Portugal in their last-16 win over Switzerland, and he has an impressive 23 goals and nine assists from 34 games in a Benfica shirt this term.
Ramos's Benfica contract is not due to expire until the end of the 2025-26 season, though, and he is also believed to have attracted the attention of Manchester United.
As well as Mbappe and Ramos, unsettled Tottenham Hotspur striker Richarlison could be an option for the Spanish and European champions following a whirlwind week for the striker.
Since joining in a £60m deal from Everton in the summer, Richarlison has scored just two goals and set up four more in 26 games for Tottenham, and he is yet to open his Premier League account for the Lilywhites.
After being dropped for Spurs' Champions League last-16 second leg draw with AC Milan, Richarlison hit out at Antonio Conte's decision to demote him and claimed that his first season in North London had been "shit" - a view shared by Conte.
Nevertheless, Richarlison was recalled into the first XI for Saturday's 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest, where he provided an assist for Son Heung-min but also had what would have been his first Premier League goal of the season ruled out for offside.
The 25-year-old - who is also said to be on the radar of Juventus if Dusan Vlahovic leaves - is not due to become a free agent until 2027. body check tags ::
