Real Madrid is in pursuit of a forward from Manchester City. It is not Erling Haaland

Real Madrid has identified qualities in Manchester City's forward, Julian Alvarez, which could potentially make him a fitting successor to Karim Benzema, as reported by Radio Continental. However, the Madrid club has yet to engage in discussions with the representatives of the Argentine forward.

This is inherently a complex transfer. Julian Alvarez is under contract with Manchester City until the summer of 2028. Pep Guardiola has high expectations for the Argentine, whose importance to the team is on the rise. In the current season, Julian Alvarez has scored six goals and provided five assists in 13 matches across all competitions. Additionally, Barcelona is also showing interest in the world champion.

Nonetheless, Real Madrid unequivocally requires a prolific striker. While Jude Bellingham's productivity is impressive, he operates as an attacking midfielder. Rodrigo and Vinicius do not find themselves comfortable in the role of forwards, given their natural positions as wingers. Meanwhile, Joselu is a center-forward by designation, but he may be deemed more of a rotational player.