Some of Spain's leading media outlets are reporting today morning that Real Madrid striker Jese is set for the Santiago Bernabeu exit door if the club manage to sign Alvaro Morata from Juventus.
Real Madrid are said to be on the lookout for another striker and are tempted by the buy-back clause they inserted in Morata's contract when he joined the Turin club two seasons ago but at the risk of signing their prodigal player, could lose Jese from the squad in the same window.
Jese is not short of suitors too with the likes of Sevilla, Espanyol, and Bayer Leverkusen all said to be interested in signing the 23-year-old for what would be a modest fee. The quick striker has – much like Morata – risen through the ranks at Madrid having impressed in the youth stages and at Real Castilla.
Zinedine Zidane and club President Florentino Perez are in the market for a few marquee players this window and a striker is right up there as one of the most sought after transfers of the season. They've made enquiries for Robert Lewandowski and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang but while the two of them could scupper any comfortable deal for Paul Pogba, a move for Alvaro Morata – who would only cost them £30 million – seems more financially logical.
Karim Benzema could very well stay on as they 'first choice' striker for the following season. The 28-year-old has had a bit of a Jekyll and Hide season with the club having won the UEFA Champions League and scoring twenty-eight goals for the club while also being omitted from his national team for the UEFA European Championships and having his name dragged through the dirt on a sex-taping incident involving French teammate, Mathieu Valbuena.
Real Madrid are adamant they want to sign French sensation Paul Pogba this season as well. The 23-year-old has been superb for Juventus these past four seasons winning the Scudetto in all the four years. He's also reached the final of the UEFA Champions League once and has been on a roll for his national team in the current UEFA European Championships.
A move for him is likely to set the club back by a whopping £140 million – which would comfortably eclipse the £80 million record transfer fee they paid Tottenham for their Welsh wizard, Gareth Bale.
