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Bengaluru, October 11: Champions League winners Real Madrid have still not given up on signing Erling Haaland with the Manchester City star being touted as a potential replacement for Karim Benzema in 2024.

When the summer transfer window opened, Real Madrid along with Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, Manchester United, Barcelona and Bayern Munich, were keen on the former Borussia Dortmund forward.

Ultimately, the Norwegian decided to join City where he has started the season with a bang.

But Madrid are still keeping an eye on the 22-year-old prodigy and the grapevine says, the Los Bloncos are plotting moves to sign him with Sky Sports Germany reporting that La Liga giants have plans to replace Benzema with Erling Haaland in 2024.

Haaland was most recently needed on the field for only the first half yet still scored twice in what has become a routine rout for City this season, who won 5-0 at home to Copenhagen in the UEFA Champions League.

It is now five goals in three Champions League games and 20 in 13 club games overall for the relentless forward.

Meanwhile, Paris Saint-Germain are reportedly prepared to activate the €150million release clause in the contract of AC Milan forward Rafael Leao.

The Portuguese star with 11 international caps has four goals and four assists from his first eight league games, as well as three assists from three Champions League fixtures, and it seems PSG have seen enough to justify a substantial investment.

French outlet Media Foot is reporting PSG will return with bids for multiple big names they were unable to land in the past transfer window, and they could come in January.

The report mentions Paris Saint-Germain sporting director Luis Campos was responsible for bringing Leao to Lille in 2018, and as a result he has been monitoring the young talent for years.

With the futures of Lionel Messi and Neymar uncertain, Leao could represent the future of the club going forward, with Kylian Mbappe, and he is not the only big-money target mentioned in the report.

The Qatar-owned PSG are said to also be returning with another offer to Inter Milan for Milan Skriniar, and remain interested in Manchester City's Bernardo Silva.

Rumour Round-up

(With OPTA iputs)

- According to The Independent, Manchester United are only going to make a move for one of Jude Bellingham or Frenkie de Jong, with the target yet to be decided.

- Liverpool's Naby Keita is a target for Barcelona, with the 27-year-old's contract set to expire at the end of this season.

- The Daily Mail is reporting Arsenal's Gabriel Martinelli is demanding his wages be tripled before he agrees to a new contract.

- According to The i, Newcastle United are preparing bids for Leicester City midfielder James Maddison and Bayer Leverkusen winger Moussa Diaby.