Real Madrid Transfer News: Karim Benzema, Kylian Mbappe, Top Los Blancos Rumours

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is reportedly open to selling star striker Karim Benzema in order to help fund a summer move for AS Monaco's Kylian Mbappe. 

Spanish outlet Diario Gol noted the Real figurehead "believes the time is right" to sell Benzema and launch a move for Mbappe as the club looks to secure its next line of stars (h/t The Sun's Sam Morgan). 

According to Morgan, Arsenal would be among the suitors hopeful of signing Benzema, although that may be unlikely after the Gunners completed a move for Lyon frontman Alexandre Lacazette earlier this summer.

However, Monaco have indicated they will play hard ball over Mbappe's future and are fighting to retain their assets after already selling Tiemoue Bakayoko, Bernardo Silva and Benjamin Mendy this summer:

Metro sourced a report from French newspaper L'Equipe in June, which stated that Real manager Zinedine Zidane and Perez held a "secret meeting" with Mbappe, promising to offload a major star to make room for his arrival.

Alvaro Morata has since left the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu for Chelsea, but Football Espana cited Spanish daily AS, which recently asserted Benzema will remain in Madrid for the time being:

The 29-year-old arrived at Real for €35 million in 2009 and stands out as one of the club's better transfer investments in recent times, leading the line with aplomb when fully fit.

But Mbappe, 18, is a unique talent and finished the 2016-17 campaign—his first season as a consistent starter—with 26 goals in 44 total appearances.

For the time being, 20-year-old Borja Mayoral, who spent last season on loan at Wolfsburg, looks likely to account for Real's "up-and-coming forward" role, with Benzema installed as the point man.

Zidane knows he has one fancied Frenchman leading his line in Benzema, but there will always be a nagging question as to what Mbappe could do in Real colours given his success at Monaco already, per Squawka:

Coupled with the £58 million gained from Morata's sale, Benzema's reported £62.6 million price tag would also help fund an audacious move for the teenager, who would surely require a world-record fee to leave.

President Perez's direction proves key to Los Blancos' transfer targets, and the end of Benzema's time at the club could open the door to Mbappe.