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Mbappe can emulate Ronaldo at Real Madrid and Haaland a 'good option' to replace Benzema

Kylian Mbappe (L) and Erling Haaland (R)

Kylian Mbappe could emulate Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid, while Erling Haaland would be a great replacement for Karim Benzema, according to the club's former assistant coach Jose Morais.

Morais spent three years at the Santiago Bernabeu working under Jose Mourinho, during which time Ronaldo helped Madrid overthrow Pep Guardiola's Barcelona and claim the 2011-12 LaLiga title.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner left for Juventus in a €112million deal in 2018 and his absence continues to be felt by Madrid.

Benzema has been more prolific since Ronaldo's exit – he has 49 goals since the start of last season – but Morais believes Paris Saint-Germain star Mbappe and Borussia Dortmund striker Haaland have the quality to make the grade in Madrid.

Morais, now the head coach of Jeonbuk Motors, told Stats Perform: "I think Mbappe is definitely one of the players that can be a target for Real Madrid because he is still young and his quality, talent and strength is capable to project him into one of the best players in the world.

"This is the perspective Madrid wants and this is what you need as a player in order to attract the interest of Madrid. I definitely agree that Mbappe is a player that in the future could play for Real Madrid.

"I'm not there now and I have no idea if it will be a reality, but Madrid is definitely a club that every good player in the world would like to play for. I believe Mbappe would be pleased to go to Madrid."

He continued: "I think [Haaland] is a great player. He's also one of the young players with very great quality. His finishing qualities are unbelievable.

"Doing what he did in this short period for Dortmund and creating the impact that he created. I think that it is never too soon for a quality player to go to a club like Real Madrid.

"The higher the quality of player, the more the possibilities to succeed exist in a club like Real Madrid. You have a lot of competition in the club because you only have good players there, high-level players.

"Benzema is a fantastic player, a goalscorer, he has the quality that he has playing for Madrid all these years. I think Haaland is definitely a good option to replace a striker like him.

"Probably in the style of Cristiano, Mbappe would also be a player that could have some similarities in the strength and speed, and capacity of playing."

World Cup winner Mbappe has scored 90 goals in 120 games for PSG, winning the Ligue 1 title in each of his three campaigns in Paris.

Haaland only joined Dortmund from Salzburg in January but scored 12 goals in his 11 appearances in all competitions for the club before the season was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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