5 players Real Madrid may target this summer

#2 Neymar Jr.

Real President Perez has earmarked Neymar as the successor of Cristiano Ronaldo.

A contender for the most cliched transfer rumour in football, 'Neymar to Real Madrid' is the favourite bread-earning headline of many transfer news sources. This rumour was close to becoming a reality back in 2005 when a teenage Neymar gave successful trials at the Santiago Bernabeu but, in the end, decided he wasn't ready for Europe and returned to Brazil to continue at Santos.

In 2013, Real came calling again but their eternal rivals, Barcelona, swooped for the sensational youngster out of nowhere. However, in 2017, the Brazilian trickster left the Catalan side for Paris Saint-Germain and reignited the possibility of a Real Madrid move in the future.

Perez has made no secret of his admiration for Neymar, and it is widely believed that he sees him as a player who can fill in the shoes of CR7 and replicate his impact at Real Madrid. On the other hand, the 26-year-old forward may just be tempted by Real's interest after failing to make it past the Champions League's Round Of 16 with PSG for the second time in a row.

Although Zidane's personal choice for the team's left-wing might be Eden Hazard, he wouldn't mind signing Neymar either. But, however, Real accommodating both the Brazil international and the Belgian international in their team is a far-fetched thought as both the players have similar styles and play in the same position.

Neymar's contract with PSG runs until 2021 and the club has made it clear that their star player—for whom they broke the transfer record two years ago—is not for sale. As a result, it would cost Real Madrid a fortune to even have a chance of snatching him away from the French champions—but there is no doubt that his phenomenal quality would be worth every penny.