Real Madrid Transfer News Roundup: Los Blancos monitoring Borussia Dortmund star; club face competition from Bayern Munich for Erling Haaland, and more - 23 January 2022

Real Madrid came back from 0-2 down to secure a 2-2 draw against Elche in La Liga on Sunday.

A Luka Modric penalty and an Eder Militao goal in the 92nd minute helped Los Blancos force a share of the spoils. Despite the draw, Los Blancos are four points clear of second-placed Sevilla after 22 games.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid are keeping a close eye on a Borussia Dortmund midfielder. Elsewhere, Los Blancos could face competition from Bayern Munich for Erling Haaland.

🏁 FT: @realmadriden 2-2 @elchecf
⚽ @lukamodric10 82' (p), @edermilitao 90'+2'; Lucas Boyé 42', Pere Milla 76'
#RealMadridElche | #Emirates https://t.co/rMdoegcGeF

On that note, here's a look at the key Real Madrid transfer stories as on 23rd January 2022.

Real Madrid monitoring Jude Bellingham

Real Madrid are keeping a close eye on Jude Bellingham, according to Marca. The Borussia Dortmund star is among five young players Los Blancos are monitoring with interest. The Englishman caught the eye after breaking into Birmingham's starting XI as a 16-year-old in 2019.

Bellingham has gone from strength to strength since joining Dortmund in the summer of 2020. The 18-year-old has become a regular in BvB's starting XI, registering 74 appearances. Bellingham has scored eight times and set up 14 more for the Bundesliga side. His rapid development has alerted Real Madrid.

The La Liga giants are likely to invest in midfield this year. Toni Kroos and Luka Modric are entering the twilight of their careers. With Dani Ceballos and Isco likely to depart the Santiago Bernabeu, a midfielder is fast becoming one of Los Blancos' pressing needs.

Real Madrid have already chalked out the names of potential replacements, and Bellingham is on that list. Prising him away from Borussia Dortmund would be no walk on the park, though, as a host of clubs are interested in his services.

Manchester United and Liverpool are planning to take the 18-year-old to the Premier League. However, Bellingham is uninterested in moving back to England. Los Blancos are buoyed by that news.

Los Blancos face competition from Bayern Munich for Erling Haaland

Bayern Munich have entered the race for Erling Haaland, according to The Hard Tackle via Defensa Central.

The Borussia Dortmund star is a target for Real Madrid this summer. The Norwegian has been in outstanding form for Dortmund since arriving at the start of 2020. The 21-year-old has plundered 80 goals and set up 21 more in 79 appearances across competitions.

Los Blancos have identified him as the perfect successor to Karim Benzema. However, the Bavarians are plotting to keep him in the Bundesliga. They want the Norwegian to take the place of Robert Lewandowski, whose future continues to hang in the balance.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic advises Kylian Mbappe to join Real Madrid

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has advised Mbappe to join Real Madrid.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has advised Kylian Mbappe to join Real Madrid.

🚨🎙️| Zlatan Ibrahimovic: "Mbappe asked me what should I do, I told him 'If I was in your place, I would go to Real.'" @hadrien_grenier #rmalive https://t.co/xCYL2Sqste

Speaking to L'Equipe, as relayed by Marca, the Swedish legend has urged the Frenchman to play in a different country.

“Only Kylian can answer this question; it depends on what he wants and what he thinks. It is true that one day he asked me, and I replied, 'If I were you, I would go to Real Madrid. I had the opportunity to play for different teams in different countries; that's how I learned and grew up. Playing at home, your entire career is easy,” said Ibrahimovic.

Interestingly, Los Blancos are strongly linked with a move for the player this summer.

They submitted multiple humongous bids for Mbappe last summer, but were rejected by PSG. However, the player yet to sign a contract extension with the Ligue 1 giants. That means the Frenchman is getting close to arriving at the Santiago Bernabeu as a free agent this summer.