Real Madrid will try to sign 23-year-old forward for €70m to form destructive trio with Karim Benzema and Vinicius Jr - Reports

Real Madrid are reportedly interested in signing AC Milan winger Rafael Leao in the summer to partner Karim Benzema and Vinicius Jr. in attack.

As per El Nacional, the likes of Marco Asensio and Eden Hazard will leave Los Blancos in the summer. The Spanish giants still hold an interest in signing Kylian Mbappe but the Frenchman is rumored to be set to stay at Paris Saint-Germain for at least another year.

Hence, Real Madrid will shift their focus elsewhere and have identified Leao as an option, with manager Carlo Ancelotti recommending the winger. The Portuguese ace has shown his mettle in the previous two seasons for AC Milan.

He helped the Rossoneri win the Serie A title last season, scoring 11 goals and providing 10 assists in 34 league games. Leao's performances saw many teams interested in signing him last summer.

AC Milan put up a €150 million price tag on him to deter other clubs. The likes of Manchester United, Chelsea, and Bayern Munich were in contact with Leao's agent Jorge Mendes. However, the Italian giants were unwilling to sell him.

The Portugal international's current contract expires in the summer of 2024 and he has declined any offer from the Rossoneri for a new contract. Hence, he could be on his way out in the summer for a decent price.

Real Madrid are looking to get Leao's signature in the summer for around €70 million.

The 23-year-old winger has scored 10 goals and provided seven assists in 26 Serie A games for AC Milan this campaign.

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Carlo Ancelotti on Karim Benzema's form after Real Madrid's win over Barcelona

Real Madrid hammered arch-rivals Barcelona 4-0 at the Spotify Camp Nou in the second leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final clash on Wednesday, April 5.

Los Blancos trailed the Blaugrana 1-0 after last month's first leg. They restored parity in the 45th minute with Vincius Jr. scoring after a lethal counter-attack. Carlo Ancelotti's side then dominated the second half, with Karim Benzema netting a hat-trick to secure their passage into the final.

It was the Frenchman's second hat-trick in as many matches, having scored a treble in their 6-0 win over Real Valladolid in La Liga last weekend.

After the game, Ancelotti was asked about Benzema's form, who has had to deal with injury and form issues this season. He replied (via realmadrid.com):

"The work during the break has certainly helped him. He's found his best condition and with the quality he has, he makes a difference for sure. He's still one of the best players in the world at the moment and when he's in good shape he makes a difference."

Benzema has registered 25 goals and six assists in 31 games for Real Madrid across competitions this season.