PETE JENSON: Real Madrid want a new No 9 to compete with Benzema, who turns 36 next year... signing Mbappe or Haaland is out of the question while their gamble on hoping Hazard would step up has backfired spectacularly

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

Haaland didn’t find the net over the two legs but only the performance of Thibaut Courtois prevented him from scoring a hat-trick in the second game, while Benzema was anonymous over 180 minutes.

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

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

What followed still haunts the club – the 24-year-old stunned them with a final hour decision to renew with PSG and left them with neither of the best two young strikers in Europe.

Karim Benzema barely made a mark in Real Madrid's semi-final capitulation to Man City

Madrid are ruing their decision last year to not fight for Erling Haaland (left), instead putting all their focus on Kylian Mbappe (right)

The club gambled on three fronts to cover the absence of a big signing. Firstly, they believed Benzema could repeat his incredible numbers last season. He has scored 29 goals in 57 games this campaign, some way off the 44 in in 56 matches that he managed last season when he won the Ballon d’Or.

Gamble number two was that, having missed out on Mbappe and Halaand, Eden Hazard – operating as a false nine – would finally come good in his fourth season at the club.

But Madrid’s top earner has started only four games all season and never offered a serious alternative to Benzema. Madrid are saddled with the Belgian’s massive £400,000-a-week wages for one more season.

Plan number three was that reserve centre-forward Mariano Diaz could weigh in with 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 to City until 2027) nor Mbappe are realistic short term targets this summer.

Madrid would only try to sign Mbappe if he was out of contract, as he was last summer. They know PSG have no intention of releasing him this year so will not pursue him.

That may change in 2024 when there is some suggestion that the player has a release clause but even with that possibility on the table Madrid are adamant he must come to them – they will not go after him.

The alternatives don’t convince. 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 are confident of completing is that of Jude Bellingham and much of the inquest into Madrid’s capitulation at the Etihad centred on the arrival of the 19-year-old England midfielder.

Bellingham is seen as the key to rejuvenating a midfield that were left chasing shadows by Rodri and company on Wednesday night.

Gambles on centre-forward Mariano Diaz (left) and Eden Hazard (right) have not paid off

That will not be the last of the new arrivals this summer. Fran Garcia has already agreed terms returning to the club he represented at youth level. 

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

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