Real Madrid are believed to be one of the favourites to sign in-demand Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham during this summer's transfer window.
Liverpool and Manchester City are also said to be firmly in the running, while a recent report claimed that Paris Saint-Germain would be prepared to hand him a major contract to move to the French club.
Any deal for Bellingham is likely to cost in excess of £100m, and it remains to be seen whether Real Madrid are prepared to pay that type of money for the England international.
Dortmund have also not given up hope of convincing the former Birmingham City youngster to sign a new deal, so it cannot be ruled out that he stays with BVB, potentially for another 12 months.
Real Madrid are hoping to renew the contracts of Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, but they are expected to be in the market for another central midfielder this summer, and with that in mind, Sports Mole looks at three alternatives to Bellingham.
Nicolo Barella (Inter Milan)
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Nicolo Barella has been in strong form for Inter during the 2022-23 campaign, scoring six goals and registering eight assists in 38 appearances in all competitions.
The 26-year-old has a contract at San Siro until June 2026, but his future is being called into question ahead of the summer transfer window.
A recent report claimed that Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool had all identified Barella as a possible target during the upcoming market.
Inter would not exactly be willing to sell one of their most influential players, but they could find it difficult to resist a potentially big offer for the Italy international this summer.
Barella has proved his class during his time at Inter, scoring 17 goals and registering 42 assists in 173 appearances in all competitions, and he would certainly represent an interesting option for Real Madrid.
Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle United)
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Bruno Guimaraes has been a transformative signing for Newcastle, with the Brazil international proving to be a standout player for the Magpies since his arrival from Lyon in January 2022.
The 25-year-old was excellent in the second half of last season and has also been a key player for Eddie Howe's side this term, scoring four goals and registering four assists in 31 appearances.
Newcastle would be a difficult club to leave at the moment, as they appear to be firmly heading in the right direction, with a spot in next season's Champions League a real possibility.
However, Real Madrid would surely be one of a select few clubs in world football capable of turning Guimaraes's head in the summer market.
Newcastle would likely demand an astronomical fee for the South American, which would make a summer deal incredibly difficult, but it is a situation worth exploring considering the immense impact that he has had at Newcastle over the last 14 months.
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (Lazio)
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Sergej Milinkovic-Savic is widely expected to leave Lazio this summer, with Arsenal believed to be one of the favourites to sign him.
Not too long ago, Lazio president Claudio Lotito claimed that the Serbia international was worth €120m (£105m), but his contract is due to expire in the summer of 2024, and a recent report claimed that he could actually be available for as little as €40m (£35m) in the upcoming market.
The 28-year-old has been in brilliant form for his Italian club during the 2022-23 campaign, scoring seven goals and registering eight assists in 37 appearances in all competitions.
Meanwhile, he has scored 65 goals and registered 59 assists in 331 appearances for Lazio in total since his arrival from Genk.
Milinkovic-Savic is vastly different to the players that Real Madrid already have in the middle of midfield, and his ability to find the back of the net on a consistent basis could make him a valuable addition.
