Inter Milan star Mauro Icardi tops Real Madrid's January wish list

Inter Milan star Mauro Icardi has emerged as a top target for Champions League winners Real Madrid in the January transfer window.

The Argentine international has been in fine form for the Serie A outfit this season. He has scored 15 goals and registered one assist in 14 Serie A appearances for the San Siro outfit. His impressive display has now seen him attract interest from the 12-time European champions, according to the Spanish newspaper Marca.

Icardi signed a new deal in October and his current deal will keep him at Inter until 2021. Any move from Real to sign the striker will see them spend big. The Serie A club have slapped a a €100m (£88.14m, $118.6m) price tag for their prized asset.

Real are aware that it will not be easy for them to bring in quality players to the club in the mid-season transfer window. The Italian club are looking to hand him another new contract and also improve his salary to €7m a year (£6.17m, $8.3m).

The Spanish capital club will struggle to bring Inter striker to Santiago Bernabeu after Icardi said that he will snub advances from Real.

"If I receive a phone call from Real Madrid, I won't answer. I do what I have to do on the field and then there are other people who take care of these matters," Icardi told Sky Sport, as relayed by the Mirror.

The La Liga winners have also identified Arsenal contract rebel Alexis Sanchez as a target. The Chilean international's contract at the Emirates runs down after the end of the season. He has long been linked with a move to Manchester City.

The Gunners manager Arsene Wenger has confirmed the former Barcelona forward will be at Arsenal, "unless something unbelievable happens" in January. Marca believes Sanchez's first preference will be to reunite with Guardiola at City. Apart from Icardi and Sanchez, RB Leipzig's Timo Werner and Krasnodar's Russian forward Fyodor Smolov have been included in Real's four-man January wish list.

Zinedine Zidane's side have struggled in the first half of the season. Real are fourth in the table with 27 points after 13 games, eight points behind leaders Barcelona. Their mixed form has reportedly "brought unease" to the club's chiefs.

Real will reassess the current squad after the first El Clasico of the 2017/18 season on 23 December. A decision on the potential January signings will be taken after their clash against Barcelona.