5 potential replacements for Karim Benzema at Real Madrid
Karim Benzema has been a shadow of himself this season. The French attacker has only managed a paltry 4 goals in 1334 minutes for Los Blancos in La Liga this season.
He has fewer goals than Real Madrid youngster Marco Asensio who has 6 goals in 1182 minutes - the Spanish midfielder has played fewer minutes but has more goals than the French striker.
Benzema's struggles in front of goal have also made Los Merengues struggle in the league this season as they sit 3rd in the league, 14 points behind their bitter rivals and runaway leaders FC Barcelona.
The French superstar has had an illustrious career at Real winning 2 La Liga titles, 2 Copa del Rey titles, 2 Super Copa Cups, 3 UEFA Super Cups, 3 UEFA Champions League titles and 3 FIFA Club World Cup titles.
If his struggles continue, then Real Madrid will have to acquire the services of another world-class striker to enable them to compete for the top honors.
On that note, here is a look at the top five strikers Real Madrid should consider replacing the French striker with:
#5 Andrea Belotti (Italy, Torino)
Andrea Belotti has been sensational for Torino since joining the club in 2015 from Palermo for a reported fee of €7.5 million. The Italian has been in scintillating form for Il Toro hitting 47 goals in just 94 appearances.
Belotti was linked with several top clubs European last summer after scoring 26 goals in 35 Serie-A matches last season as he helped Torino to a 9th place finish. However, the club was lucky that no move materialized for their top striker as he remained for at least another season.
Belotti's strong work ethic, powerful finishing, and aerial ability could be very vital for the Italian striker if he makes a move to the Bernabeu. He has developed into a top-class striker during his three-year spell at Torino.
At 24, he would be a long-term investment for Los Blancos as he can continue to perform at the top level for the next 8 or 9 seasons just like Benzema. A switch to the Bernabeu would make him develop further into one of European's hottest strikers with the support of the world-class midfield players at Real.