Time waits for no man, even Ronaldo
Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo has left Real Madrid after nine incredibly successful years at the club. The Portuguese won two La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues at the Santiago Bernabeu, but Juventus have managed to prise him away thanks to an £88.3m bid.
Leon Bailey
With a style not dissimilar to a young Ronaldo, the 20-year old Jamaican would represent a huge gamble but one worth considering.
Bailey registered nine goals and six assists in the Bundesliga last season - his first full campaign in German football - with his lightning speed and trickery making him unplayable when on song. He's still inexperienced but has the raw talent to be among the best in the world one day.
Robert Lewandowski
Bayern’s Polish superstar has been one of the best strikers in the world over the last six years. Predatory inside the box but also elegant outside it, the ex-Borussia Dortmund frontman is strong, powerful and intelligent.
Lewandowski has been continually linked with a move to Madrid in recent summers, and will no doubt be angling for a transfer now that Ronaldo has vacated his throne. There's one significant problem, though: the Pole turns 30 in August, and is therefore hardly a player you can build a future around.
Paulo Dybala
The 24-year-old Argentinian is an outrageously talented and versatile striker, as well as being extremely charismatic. His smile and looks can sell Juventus shirts by themselves, even without his mighty dribbling skills and shots, but he may find game time harder to come by now that Ronaldo is in town.
Madrid could do far worse than going back to Juventus in their search for a replacement, although there are still some doubts over Dybala's ability to influence decisive games. There's no denying his talent, though, and at 24 the Argentine will only get better.
Neymar
Real Madrid would love nothing more than to bring the former Barcelona man to the Bernabeu in a move that would add an extra dash of spice to an already red-hot rivalry with the Catalan giants.
The Brazilian knows the league well and there are few doubts about his ability to perform on the biggest stage, which makes him an ideal target for los Blancos. However, it's difficult to envisage Paris Saint-Germain letting their star man leave just a year after signing him, so Madrid may have to wait until 2019 before they can prise Neymar away from the French capital.
Mohamed Salah
Salah was sensational in his debut campaign at Liverpool last time out, scoring 32 goals in the Premier League and another 11 in the Champions League to help the Reds reach the final, where they lost 3-1 to Madrid after the Egyptian was taken off injured in the first half.
The fact Salah recently signed a new contract at Anfield would make Madrid's task more difficult, though, but it's worth remembering that the Spanish giants usually get a player when they want him.
Eden Hazard
The Chelsea man is similar to Cristiano Ronaldo in many ways – a left-sided player who likes to cut inside and shoot with his stronger right foot, and one who can play centrally when required. He’s supremely creative, a fantastic dribbler and experienced at the highest level, having played for the west London club since 2012.
At 27, Hazard would presumably be keen on a move to the Bernabeu, but he wouldn't come cheap. There's also question marks over the Belgian's finishing - he's never netted more than 16 Premier League goals in a season - and his European record is mediocre with 10 goals in 47 matches.
Timo Werner
Having already been linked with a move to Madrid in January, Werner would be a good fit for the Bernabeu side for a number of reasons. He’s still only 22 years old but has plenty of experience having made his debut in the Bundesliga at just 17, and he's got a proven track record of scoring goals, hitting 34 in 63 top-flight outings for RB Leipzig
Werner struggled at the World Cup, though, principally because he was denied space in behind by Germany's opponents - something which would no doubt be repeated at Madrid. He's also unproven at the very highest level, having made little impact on the Champions League in 2017/18.
Goncalo Guedes
Guedes may have endured a disappointing World Cup as Portugal exited at the last-16 stage, but he could be the real heir to Ronaldo. The pair share similarities beyond a nationality, with the youngster's playing style reminiscent of Ronaldo's in his early days: Guedes possesses speed, trickery and terrific ball control.
Harry Kane
Kane may have signed a new six-year contract at Tottenham last month, but he's almost certain to feature on Madrid's list of transfer targets regardless. Able to score every kind of goal, Spurs' all-time Premier League record scorer has improved exponentially under the guidance of Mauricio Pochettino, himself a recent target for Madrid.
The England international - who is on course to win the Golden Boot at this summer's World Cup - has found the net 135 times in all competitions in the last four seasons, and would go some way towards replacing the goals Madrid are losing with Ronaldo's exit.
