Real Madrid were not prepared for, nor are they equipped to cope with, the loss of their Ballon d'Or centre-forward, Karim Benzema.

They need to recruit brilliantly to keep the show on the road - and after dropping around 75 million from their wage bill, they are in a strong position to do so.

Expect an A-lister. The briefings here in Spain have featured Mbappe, Neymar, Haaland and Kane.

This, for ESPNFC, is what I know right now, and how I think it will affect the biggest decision of Madrid's summer.

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