Real Madrid MUST find a solution to their centre-forward problem this summer

Real Madrid vowed to miss out on Erling Haaland last summer after Karim Benzema’s no-show in their semi-final humiliation at the hands of Manchester City.

Haaland failed to find the net in both legs but only the performance of Thibaut Courtois prevented him from scoring a hat-trick in the second game, while Benzema was unmarked for 180 minutes.

Madrid will sign a centre-forward this summer to compete with the Frenchman but have slammed their decision last year not to fight for Haaland’s signature, instead putting all their focus on Kylian Mbappe.

Haaland’s father and agent Alfie took Madrid on his whistle-stop tour of top European clubs in the build-up to the player’s move from Borussia Dortmund but they have ruled out trying to compete with Manchester City for his signature because they are convinced that Mbappe ran his contract with PSG to join them for free at the start of this season.

The aftermath is still ongoing at the club – the 24-year-old shocked them with a last-minute decision to renew at PSG and left them without either of Europe’s two best young strikers.

Karim Benzema barely scored in Real Madrid’s semi-final capitulation to Man City

Madrid blame their decision last year not to fight for Erling Haaland (left), instead focusing all their attention on Kylian Mbappe (right)

The club gambled on three fronts to cover the absence of a big signing. First, they believe that Benzema can repeat his incredible numbers from last season. He has scored 29 goals in 57 games this campaign, a far cry from the 44 in 56 matches he managed last season when he won the Ballon d’Or.

Number two is gambling, having missed out on Mbappe and Halaand, Eden Hazard – acting as a false nine – will finally be good in his fourth season at the club.

But Madrid’s top earner started just four games all season and never offered a serious alternative to Benzema. Madrid have been saddled with the Belgian’s massive £400,000-a-week wages for another season.

The third plan is that reserve centre-forward Mariano Diaz could weigh in on goal but he has not scored since last May and will finally leave the club at the end of his contract this summer.

Neither Haaland (left) nor Mbappe are realistic short-term targets for Carlo Ancelotti (right)

Neither Haaland (contracted at City until 2027) nor Mbappe are realistic short-term targets this summer.

Madrid will only try to sign Mbappe if he is out of contract, as he was last summer. They know PSG have no intention of letting him go this year so they won’t be chasing him.

That could change in 2024 when there is some suggestion the player has a release clause but even with that possibility on the table Madrid are adamant he should come to them – they won’t chase him.

The alternatives are unconvincing. Harry Kane is considered to be at the wrong end of his career and the younger Dusan Vlahovic is too expensive.

One signing the club is confident of completing is that of Jude Bellingham and much of the scrutiny over Madrid’s surrender at the Etihad has centered on the arrival of the 19-year-old England midfielder.

Bellingham is seen as key to revitalizing the midfield left by the shadows of Rodri and company on Wednesday night.

Gambles with centre-forwards Mariano Diaz (left) and Eden Hazard (right) did not pay off

That won’t be the last of this summer’s newcomers. Fran Garcia has agreed to terms to return to the club he represented at youth level.

The Rayo Vallecano left-back will be joined by a new right back as 31-year-old Dani Carvajal is given stronger competition for his place than that currently provided by converted winger Lucas Vazquez.

But it is in attack that Madrid must find a solution. Benzema will be 36 next season and they cannot afford another scenario where if the opposition shut down Vinicius, they shut down Madrid.