Matteo Kovacic believes former Inter team-mate Mauro Icardi would be a huge player for Real Madrid but has hailed current striker Karim Benzema the best No.9 in the world.
Icardi has been heavily linked with a move to Madrid after his breathtaking start to the campaign, but the Inter striker has already moved to distance himself from reports.
Madrid are expected to make some major signings at the end of the season to help transform their offensive options and Icardi will certainly be a name under consideration if he fires Inter to the Serie A title.
Kovacic spent nearly three years at Inter before making the surprise move to Madrid in August 2015 and the Croatia international believes there is a place at the club for his former team-mate.
“I am not the one to ask about signings,” ESPN quote Kovacic as saying at Madrid’s pre-match news conference on Tuesday.
“[But] I played two-and-a-half years with Mauro. He is a very good player who scored many goals, and is having a great season.
“He could help us a lot. But we have the best centre-forward in the world, which is Karim [Benzema].”
Only Edinson Cavani (17) has scored more goals than Icardi (16) in Europe’s top five leagues this season, while the 24-year-old has found the back of the net as many times in the league as Cristriano Ronaldo, Benzema, Gareth Bale, Isco, Marco Asensio, Lucas Vazquez and Borja Mayoral combined.
Matteo Kovacic needs to take a drugs test if he thinks Benzema is anywhere near the best number 9 in the world