The Real Champs Scouting Notepad: Potential targets for Real Madrid

MADRID, SPAIN - JANUARY 07: Brahim Diaz (L) of Real Madrid signs his contract with president Florentino Perez during his official presentation at Santiago Bernabeu stadium on January 07, 2019 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Real Madrid via Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN - JANUARY 07: Brahim Diaz (L) of Real Madrid signs his contract with president Florentino Perez during his official presentation at Santiago Bernabeu stadium on January 07, 2019 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Real Madrid via Getty Images)
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Krzysztof Piatek – Genoa:

Juventus’ Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo (R) and Genoa’s Polish forward Krzysztof Piatek embrace prior to the Italian Serie A football match Juventus vs Genoa on October 20, 2018 at the Juventus Allianz stadium in Turin. (Photo by Marco BERTORELLO / AFP) (Photo credit should read MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP/Getty Images)
Juventus’ Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo (R) and Genoa’s Polish forward Krzysztof Piatek embrace prior to the Italian Serie A football match Juventus vs Genoa on October 20, 2018 at the Juventus Allianz stadium in Turin. (Photo by Marco BERTORELLO / AFP) (Photo credit should read MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP/Getty Images)

Piatek has exploded onto the footballing scene this season. The Polish striker is second only to former Real Madrid player, Cristiano Ronaldo in the Serie A goalscoring charts with 13 in 18 starts for Genoa. His free goalscoring form has seen clubs all over Europe looking to snap up his services and rightfully so, he looks like a lethal finisher.

However, Piatek is not like Benzema who plays passes, dribbles and plays in the build-up by linking with his teammates. Piatek is much more in the mould of your classic number 9, get him the ball in the box and he will put it in the net. He currently averages a goal just over every 3 shots per 90. Nobody in our current roster is offering up that kind of consistency – Benzema who is our leading scorer is managing just over half the number of shots that Piatek is managing. With 2.9 of Piatek’s shots coming from in the penalty area, he is a ruthless finisher. Another stat that bodes well for him is that in Serie A, he has the most open play goals with 11 of his 13 coming from open play. Madrid are in clear need of a ruthless, no nonsense finisher and a player who could fill the shot count void left by Ronaldo, Piatek could provide that at a fraction of the cost of Icardi as Piatek has been linked with Los Blancos- however, he may not boast the same consistency, time will tell.