Real Madrid want Kane as Benzema replacement

Harry Kane tops Real Madrid’s wanted list as they look for a replacement for Karim Benzema.

Benzema’s departure after 14 years at the club has left the Spanish giants needing a new striker.

Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez, Chelsea’s Kai Havertz and Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic are also on their list of targets.

But 14-time European champions Real are huge admirers of England’s record goalscorer Kane and are hopeful the exit of several of their high earners this summer can help their bid.

Along with the departure of Benzema, Eden Hazard, Marco Asensio and Mariano Diaz are also leaving Madrid this summer, boosting their transfer and wage budget by 77m euros (£66m).

Real remain in negotiations with Borussia Dortmund over England midfielder Jude Bellingham, with the former Birmingham City player keen to sign.

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy wants to keep Kane at his boyhood club, though, and is understood to be wanting in excess of £100m, a price tag Real would be reluctant to pay.

Kane has scored 280 goals in 435 appearances for Spurs and is 47 goals shy of Alan Shearer’s Premier League goalscoring record of 260.

They have kept hold of him before, two summers ago when he tried to engineer a move to Manchester City.

But with Spurs unable to deliver Champions League football next season and Kane yet to win a major trophy, the forward’s future in north London remains unclear and Real will hope a desire for major trophies will attract him to a move to Spain.

Tottenham are still without a manager as well, after a disappointing campaign ended with Ryan Mason as interim boss, but will open talks with Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou in the next few days.

The Ballon d’Or-winning Benzema, 35, who joined the Spanish giants from Lyon in 2009, departs Real on a free transfer, having won five Champions Leagues and four La Liga titles with Madrid. (BBC)