Real Madrid targeted this forward, but Atlético Madrid are trying to 'steal' him

Real Madrid have been without a top center-forward for several months. Karim Benzema left this summer for Al-Ittihad and the Spanish side did not sign a similar player to replace him. The only one who joined the squad is Joselu, but his level has not been up to expectations and Carlo Ancelotti has benched him in most games of the season.

But the coach, and also the president Florentino Perez, know that to compete against the best teams in Europe they will need an important striker. That is why there are rumors about the possible signing of Erling Haaland or Kylian Mbappé, two stars that could completely change the team. However, to add them to the squad Los Merengues will need to invest a fortune and start demanding negotiations.

The solution, then, may be to target other players. One of the alternatives is Santiago Gimenez. The Argentinian-born who plays for Mexico has shone since last year at Feyenoord in the Netherlands, where he has scored 38 goals in 55 games, including Eredivisie, UEFA Europa League and Champions League.

Real Madrid have been rumored to be interested in him for weeks, especially since Vinicius Junior's injury, but something unexpected happened. According to TUDN, Atlético Madrid not only targeted Giménez, but have started formal talks to sign him. Coach Diego Simeone is looking for young strikers who can, in the near future, replace Alvaro Morata and Antoine Griezmann, who are both over 30 years old.

How much is he worth?

Although the specialized website Transfermarkt values Gimenez at $43 million, he could be worth a lot more. Rumors indicate that Premier League clubs like Fulham are willing to pay more than $50 million, and even Feyenoord could ask almost $100 million to sell him next summer.