'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The transfer once touted as 'mission impossible', a remote possibility, is officially done and dusted. Cristiano Ronaldo has left reigning European Champions Real Madrid for Juventus, in a move which cost the Italian Giants 100 mil euros. He has touched down in Turin and has been presented in the famous black-and-white in front of rabid Old Lady fans.
Now with Ronaldo gone, Real Madrid have a void to fill in their starting lineup, and they have made no secret of their intention to sign a Galactico this year.
While it won't be easy for Real Madrid to find a superstar forward, who can promise them 50 goals per season, there still lies a spectrum of talented attackers in the transfer market and the Spanish Giants would surely look at their options -- that is, given they think there is no one capable in the current squad -- before choosing the most suitable replacement for their club's record goalscorer.
#7 Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain)
Mbappe has enjoyed club football success in the past two seasons, winning the Ligue 1, first with AS Monaco and then with PSG. This summer, he formed an integral part of a devastating attacking trio for France, with Antoine Griezmann and Olivier Giroud, as they went on to win the World Cup for the second time. He scored 4 goals, which included a stellar finish in the final against Croatia. The French wonderkid was given the 'Best Young Player' award for his exploits in the 2018 World Cup.
It comes as no surprise that the hottest youth prospect in world football right now, fresh off a World Cup winning campaign with France, is captivating the attention of the 13-time European Champions.
The PSG forward is a pacey, prolific, trickster and checks many boxes for taking over from Ronaldo at Madrid. He became the second most expensive footballer in the world after joining PSG, and if he moves again, he might become the most expensive ever now that his steep market value has risen even higher following a fruitful World Cup campaign.
#6 Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)
Harry Kane is a versatile striker, who is good in the air, good at making runs, and good at finding spaces. He is a player, who continues to silence his critics, who labelled him a 'one-season wonder' after his breakthrough in 2014-15 season. Ever since then, he has gone on to win the Premier League Golden Boot twice in four seasons.
Last year, Kane became the highest goalscorer in the Premier League in a calendar year, netting 39 goals for Spurs. Another feather in the cap of the prolific Englishman.
In the 2018 World Cup, he scored six goals, captaining England to their best finish in a major tournament in years. The Spurs marksman also won the World Cup Golden Boot in the process.
Although Kane recently put pen to paper on a new deal, it is possible that Spurs' resolve could dwindle if Real Madrid present a mega-money offer. With the money they received from arguably the biggest transfer of the summer, Real can cash in on this Galactico signing comfortably. Kane may not be a direct replacement for the Portuguese on the left wing but he is a player, who guarantees lots of goals, a seasonal surety Real Madrid lack after Ronaldo's departure.
#5 Mauro Icardi (Inter Milan)
Icardi is a bona fide goalscorer and among the very best players in Serie A. He is a predatory striker, who can score with either feet or even his head. Much like Ronaldo, he leads his team from the front, and for that reason, he is also the current captain of Internazionale.
Having come to play in Italy from Spain at a young age, Icardi exhibited great adaptability and maturity and got accustomed to the style of Italian football in a very short period. It is a matter of little surprise that at the age of just 24, he has already reached a century of goals for the Nerazzurri in 159 matches.
Regardless of the Argentine's exclusion from his country's World Cup squad, Real Madrid are reportedly keen on poaching him from the Italian Giants, as per MARCA.
#4 Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
Lewandowski is a ruthless finisher of the ball and an ever-present force in Europe's top scorers' race. Last season, he scored 29 league goals for European Giants Bayern Munich as they lifted the Bundesliga title for the sixth time in a row. So, it is clear that his goal-scoring stock hasn't reduced in spite of the onset of age.
The Bayern sharpshooter is a man, who has been on the transfer agenda of Real Madrid board every now and then in recent years. But in each of those instances, one thing or another has led him to stay at the Allianz Arena. However, this time the rumour could turn out to be a reality as a 29-year-old Lewandowski looks determined to end his eight-year tenure in the Bundesliga in search of a new challenge.
Because of Lewandowski's reputation as one of the most complete strikers in the game, his underwhelming World Cup performance shouldn't really scupper the chances of a possible Bernabeu move. Not only does the Bayern man fit the Galactico criterion of Florentino Perez, but he is also a prolific goalscorer, who can promise 40-50 goals per season. So, this is a player, who is almost a like-for-like replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo.
#3 Neymar (PSG)
Neymar, often regarded as the third best player on the planet after Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, is one of the favourite players of Real Madrid President Florentino Perez. Perez's obsession with Neymar goes back to 2014, when Los Blancos battled bitter rival FC Barcelona for the Brazilian's signature though in a losing effort. The frustration of losing the player to his rival club was so provoking for him that legends say Gareth Bale was bought in the then most expensive deal in football mainly because Perez wanted to make a statement.
The Brazilian wizard is now plying his trade in France with PSG and a deal for him now would be more probable than it would have been had he not left Camp Nou, a year ago, as the most expensive footballer in history.
A gifted player on the ball, Neymar is a superstar, who can do it all. He can dribble past opponents, execute skills and tricks to fool the defenders, and finish with a cool head. The impact this player brings to a team, can be somewhat understood from the stats in his debut season for PSG. The former Barcelona forward scored 19 times and assisted 13 times in a mere 20 Ligue 1 outings, meaning he has been involved in 1.6 goals per match for Les Parisiennes. Thanks to these numbers, PSG comfortably snatched the title back from AS Monaco, who had bettered them the previous season.
After a sub-par World Cup, Neymar will be looking to bounce back, and who knows if his hunger and ambition would land him in the Spanish capital soon.
#2 Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
A diminutive playmaker-cum-goalscorer, Hazard is a true wide player, who also likes to cut inside and pose threat to the opponent's net whenever the opportunity arises. Thanks to these characteristics, he has netted 69 goals and racked up 46 assists in 208 matches for Chelsea.
The Belgian winger is another player, who has been admired by the Real Madrid hierarchy for a long time. In fact, he is so highly-rated by Los Vikingos legend and former coach Zinedine Zidane that the France legend almost convinced Perez to sign him while he was still at Lille. Hazard eventually ended up at Chelsea in 2012 and has been The Blues' best player for the better part of last six seasons.
At this year's World Cup, the Belgium skipper was amongst the best performers of the tournament. He scored 3 goals and 4 assists and helped the Belgian Red Devils to their best-ever finish at a World Cup, bagging the Bronze medal for third place as a result.
As you are reading this, Hazard is constantly being linked to a Real Madrid move and offers up-to 200 mil pounds are being reported. The Premier League starlet's own desire to represent the reigning European Champions is an added incentive for Real to go and grab him. Chelsea may not be able to hold on to this one anymore.
#1 Gareth Bale (Real Madrid)
Bale has the pace, physicality, attacking prowess, and finish of the current Ballon d'Or holder. He can take fabulous free-kicks, bullet headers, and first-touch shots as good, if not better, as the former Real Madrid talisman. There is no doubt the Welshman is arguably the best-placed amongst others to succeed Ronaldo at the Bernabeu.
The new main man, Real Madrid are so desperately searching for, might just be right in front of their eyes. The man to take over from Ronaldo has hopefully been there for the past five seasons, waiting for his chance, lurking to pounce in the best moment. And now seems the perfect time for Gareth Bale to take the centre-stage.
Having scored 70 goals and given 39 assists in just 126 games, he has been a contender for the title of 'The World's Best' more often than not. His injury problems in the past have undoubtedly raised some eyebrows over his fitness but the recent consistency he has shown is a positive and relieving sign.
Whenever he has played, Bale has made a difference, at times, even rescuing Los Merengues from tasting defeat single-handedly. One of the goals that back up this claim is the one he scored against eternal rivals Barcelona in a memorable Copa Del Rey final -- pay attention -- in the absence of Ronaldo.
The Welsh Dragon has that certain 'game-changer' aura, which we have seen surround Ronaldo in big games. A testament to that very aura are the two goals, which he scored coming off the bench in the UEFA Champions League final against Liverpool to secure Real Madrid's 13th Champions League and their third on the trot. The first of his two goals in the final even emulated CR7's unreal bicycle kick in the quarterfinal against Juventus.
Throughout his time in Madrid, Bale has regularly shown glimpses of why he is a natural successor to Cristiano Ronaldo at the club. Now, it is only a matter of time before this becomes clear as day.
