Real Madrid target former youngster Mariano

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Bengaluru, August 29: La Liga giants Real Madrid are looking to re-sign £23million striker Mariano before he is flogged to the Premier League, according to reports in Spain.

The Los Balncos sold the Dominican Republic forward to Lyon last summer for around £7.5m and have first refusal of the 25-year-old.

Real Madrid's La Liga rivals Sevilla are ready to splash around £32m on the forward with the Madrid giants able to demand close to £10m as part of a sell-on clause.

But Marca say they are more interested in taking him back for £23m and being in sole control of his future similar to what they did with Alvaro Morata.

Bernabeu bosses have until Thursday (August 30) to make a decision on the forward, knowing that Lyon had hoped to sell the player to the Premier League for around £60m.

But now the British transfer window has closed, Lyon have lost out on that huge opportunity to get a massive amount of cash.

Mariano was sold in July 2017 after failing to prove himself under Zinedine Zidane but the complicated clauses inserted in the deal make it clear he was highly thought of by the Madrid bosses.

Last season he scored 21 goals in 45 appearances and became a favourite of the scouts across Europe.

Despite scoring for the Dominican Republic on his international debut in a March 2013 friendly, Mariano hopes to be called up to a future Spain squad as well and that speaks volumes about why he would be more than happy to come back to Spain.

After just one appearance, he retired from international football and is now waiting on a call from his adopted country and could welcome the idea of joining Sevilla if Real Madrid miss their chance to sign their former youngster.

However, there is also a possibility that he might stay put at Lyon and wait for the next transfer window when the Premier League clubs can again make him a good offer.