Real Madrid are tracking Dusan Vlahovic of Juventus and Tottenham Hotspur’s Richarlison as options to strengthen their attack, multiple sources have told ESPN, with the LaLiga giants viewing an addition to their forward line in the summer transfer window as “essential.”
Coach Carlo Ancelotti has had to rely on Karim Benzema, 35, to lead the line this season, turning to Rodrygo Goes — not a natural centre forward — when the Ballon d’Or winner has been out injured.
Vlahovic, 23, is yet to hit the heights expected of him at Juventus, who are having a turbulent season after being hit by a 15-point deduction in Serie A for alleged false accounting, while Brazil international Richarlison, 25, would prove difficult to prise away from Spurs after joining in a €58 million deal last July.
Sources told ESPN that while Madrid admire both Vlahovic and Richarlison, they are not the only players under consideration to provide an alternative to Benzema, who has been hit by persistent injuries this season, featuring in just 12 of Madrid’s 20 league games.
Benzema’s one-year contract extension until 2024 has not yet been made official, and the only other centre forward in Madrid’s first-team squad is the out-of-favour Mariano Diaz, whose deal will be allowed to expire in June.
Ancelotti was keen for Madrid to sign a forward last summer but their outstanding season — winning a LaLiga and Champions League double — and the lack of market options convinced the club to stick with their existing squad after being snubbed by Kylian Mbappe, who decided to stay at Paris Saint-Germain.
Madrid received positive reports on Vlahovic during his time at Fiorentina, before he joined Juventus in a €81.6m deal in January 2022.
He scored seven Serie A goals in his first six months at Juve and has eight so far this campaign. The Serbia international is viewed as a goalscorer with room to improve, who could complement Benzema.
Madrid are also keen on signing Richarlison. Ancelotti was a fan of the striker when they worked together at Everton, but the club recognize that a deal for the forward would not be straightforward, given that his Spurs contract runs until 2027.
Sources told ESPN that Madrid expect a busy summer of transfer business, with the club also looking to improve the squad in other areas.
With the future of Marco Asensio still uncertain, Madrid are considering bringing in a right-sided forward player to provide competition for Rodrygo and Federico Valverde, with Bayern Munich’s Kingsley Coman another potential target.
