Santiago Solari pressures Florentino Perez for a striker
The coach believes Madrid need a striker to lead the line
Real Madrid have struggled in front of goal this season. The 15 they managed in Santiago Solari's first four games were a mirage and the team has slumped back to how they were before.
"We missed an attacking reference point, depth. We're paying for not having a striker," said Solari after a 1-0 defeat by Leganes in the Copa del Rey.
Publically the coach is not going further and leaving the decision to sign in the hands of president Florentino Perez, but privately he is pushing.
Madrid's top goalscorer is Karim Benzema, with seven. He was subbed last weekend with a broken finger and is a doubt to face Sevilla at the weekend.
Even if Benzema is fit, and despite his qualities, he doesn't offer exactly what Solari wants in a striker.
No Real Madrid player sits among the top 10 goalscorers in the division. You'd have to go back a long time to find a situation like this at this point in the season.
Let's see if Perez comes through with a No 9 for Solari...
