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It would not be an understatement to say that this campaign has been a disastrous one for Real Madrid, as the great club struggled to match previous heights and had to go through three different managers during the course of the season.
The reappointment of Zinedine Zidane less than a year after he departed was met with glee from Madridistas around the world, as the Frenchman had taken the club to immense heights in just his two-and-half years in the dugout - heights which his predecessors in Julen Lopetegui and Santiago Solari failed to match.
The 46-year-old would, however, has his hands full, as he inherits a squad which has underperformed throughout this season and needs a revamp, with Florentino Perez promising access to funds to back his summer transfer plans.
The area which Zidane would most likely start his overhaul it would be the attack, as the Madrid frontline has been blunt all through this campaign, which goes against what we have been used to in recent times.
Ronaldo's departure last summer robbed the team of 50+ goals a season and while those numbers cannot be matched by anyone else not named Messi, the team's struggles in front of goal were not expected to be this bad.
So far this season, Los Blancos have scored just 9 goals in 28 matches at an average of a paltry 1.75 goals per game which looks rather poor in comparison to Barcelona's 73 or the 67 they had managed at this same stage last season.
This low return in front of goal played a massive role in Real Madrid's woes this season and if they are to return to the pinnacle, then they must as a matter of urgency address their attacking impotence.
There are a number of world-class forwards available on the market or otherwise who Zidane could turn to as a solution to the team's scoring woes. In this piece, we shall be taking a look at four forwards who could help strengthen Real Madrid's attack next season.
#4 Sadio Mane (Liverpool)
Sadio Mane arrived in the Premier League in the summer of 2014 when he signed for Southampton from Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg.
The Senegalese international caught global attention when he became the fastest player in history to net a Premier League hat-trick, doing so in just two minutes and 55 seconds as Southampton defeated Aston Villa 5-2 in May 2014.
His form at St Mary's prompted a transfer to Liverpool in 2016 and the 26-year-old has flourished at Anfield under Jurgen Klopp, forming a devastating attacking trident with strike partners Mo Salah and Roberto Firmino.
Having scored 33 goals across his first two seasons on Merseyside and playing a secondary role to Mo Salah in Liverpool's spectacular campaign last term, Mane has risen to become arguably Liverpool's most important player in recent weeks.
He has scored 11 goals in his last 11 matches for the club to help maintain their quest for a first ever Premier League title, while also carrying over his spectacular form to the international scene as he came off the bench to score a stunning goal and help Senegal to a comeback victory.
In total, Sadio Mane has scored 20 goals from 38 matches in all competitions this season, which is more than anyone at Real Madrid has managed and with reports indicating that Zidane is interested in his services, they would do well to significantly step up their pursuit as he would undoubtedly strengthen their blunt attack.
#3 Mauro Icardi (Inter Milan)
Mauro Icardi has been one of the most consistent center-forwards in all of Europe over the last five seasons, regularly banging in goals for fun at Inter Milan in the Serie A.
The 26-year-old was the joint-top scorer in the Italian top-flight last season with 29 goals from 36 matches (joint-highest with Ciro Immobile of Lazio) and with 122 goals from 210 matches in all competitions, he is the Nerazzurri's ninth highest goalscorer of all time despite spending just a little over six years at the San Siro.
The Argentine international is currently locked in a bitter dispute with the club which has seen him stripped off his captaincy, while he has not represented the club in over a month now.
His impasse with the Inter board could well be good news for Real Madrid as it could potentially clear the way for a move to the Bernabeu and if it pulls through, it would be a significant coup, as, on current form, Icardi is undoubtedly an upgrade on Karim Benzema.
#2 Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
It is no hidden secret that Eden Hazard has his heart set on a move to Real Madrid, with the Belgian international having stated on occasions in the past that it is his dream to one day play for the La Liga giants while Zinedine Zidane was his childhood hero.
His dream could very well come to pass to unite him with his idol, as speculations of a Real Madrid transfer grow increasingly stronger.
The Belgian is undoubtedly one of the premier talents in the world, possessing the key to unlock any defense on his day, but there is the gnawing feeling that his abilities are being criminally underutilized at Chelsea.
A player of Hazard's caliber deserves to constantly be contesting for the biggest individual prizes while also making an impact on the Champions League.
However, his 8th place finish in last year's Ballon d'Or voting remains his best finish, while Chelsea's semifinal run in the 2013/2014 season remains the closest he has gotten to lift Europe's premier competition.
Chelsea's inconsistencies in recent times have robbed Hazard off performing on the grandest stages in the prime of his career and as he gets older, time is gradually running out on him truly testing himself on the biggest stages.
A transfer to Real Madrid would be a win-win for all parties, as it would offer Hazard the opportunity to achieve his personal goals, while also giving Real the chance to field one of the best players in the world and as such, it is an opportunity which the club must not miss.
#1 Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
It is fair to say that Kylian Mbappe is the hottest property in world football at the moment. At just 20, the Frenchman has a CV that reads like that of a thirty-something-year-old.
Second most expensive player ever, Golden Boy, World Cup, numerous domestic titles, FIFPro XI, Raymond Kopa award, global superstardom - Mbappe has seemingly done it all, and only a few can match what he has achieved in such a short time.
The one thing which is missing from Mbappe's amazing career is a winner's medal in the Champions League and given PSG's struggles on the continent, Paris might not be the place for him to do so.
Real Madrid's affinity for the Champions League trophy means that they are the most likely to offer Mbappe a shot at the trophy.
Though he might not come cheap (as PSG would be eager to make back every penny of the significant sum they spent on him and some more), if Real Madrid cough up the funds to sign him, they would be signing one of the most lethal forwards in the game.
His very young age also means that the club would get at least a decade of optimum performance from the World Cup winner and given that Zidane is an admirer of his compatriot, it would make perfect sense for the club to go after him.
