Real Madrid are desperate to bring Sergio Aguero back to Spain and are reportedly preparing a significant bid for the Manchester City striker in January.
The Argentine forward left Los Blancos' local rivals Atletico Madrid to join the Citizens in 2011 and ended his first season at the club by scoring the goal that clinched his new side the Premier League title.
According to The Observer, the 25-year-old, and not Gareth Bale, who joined Real in a world-record £85m deal in August, was Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti's top transfer target this summer.
The same source understands that the La Liga giants had an enquiry rebuffed for Aguero in the last transfer window, and that they intend to make their interest concrete in the winter with an offer in excess of the £38m fee that he cost City two years ago.
Luis Suarez and Radamel Falcao had previously been touted as possible Madrid forward targets, but it now appears that their eye is firmly on Aguero, who has found the net five times in eight games this term.