Real Madrid Transfer News: Latest on Lucas Silva and Marco Reus Rumours

Carlo Ancelotti has reportedly called upon old friend Serginho to provide a detailed analysis of Cruzeiro midfielder Lucas Silva.

As reported by Carlos Carpio of Marca, the Real Madrid boss got in contact with AC Milan's head of scouting in South America to "to pick his brain" about the potential replacement for Sami Khedira.

Ancelotti spent a trophy-laden era with Serginho at the San Siro and is said to be monitoring Silva, who has also gained attention from Inter Milan and Manchester United, per Carpio. At just 21 years old, Silva has established himself in the heart of Cruzeiro's midfield over the last two years.

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Jack Lang of the Mirror described him as "tall, elegant and blessed with plenty of technical ability," while ESPN FC's Chris Atkins explained why Silva would suit a Khedira-styled role at the Bernabeu.

"Normally positioned alongside a more destructive midfield presence, Lucas' job within the Cruzeiro side is to keep the ball circulating," Atkins wrote. "He is always on the move, making himself available for the next pass and looking to bring into play the side's gifted attacking players."

Silva has made 21 appearances in the Brazilian league this season, scoring one and assisting one, as recorded by WhoScored.com. His main attributes are tailored to defence, however, as evidenced by his 2.1 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per match. The youngster isn't afraid to impose himself physically and will risk his body for the team. He averages 1.5 fouls each game and has been booked five times.

His main attributes are neatly summed up in the video below:

Importantly for Madrid, Silva's distribution is excellent and often looks to progress attacking moves. He has completed 87.7 percent of his passes this campaign, helping Cruzeiro consolidate their position as the league's top scorers with 54 goals. Like Khedira, his work is often subtle and unsung, but he shouldn't be discounted as any less vital than those netting regularly.

Khedira, of course, isn't confirmed to be exiting just yet. Ancelotti recently admitted that "he will leave the team at the end of the season" if a new contract cannot be agreed, as reported by AS, via Eduardo Fernandez-Abascal of Eurosport. A host of clubs, including United, Arsenal and Chelsea, are said to be interested in the German, per Anthony Chapman of the Express.

Madrid may be tempted to sell the player for a small fee in January if he proves unwilling to commit. This is particularly true considering Spanish publication Fichajes reports a deal has been struck for Borussia Dortmund's Marco Reus, via Jack Watson of Squaka. This claim appears premature, but Florentino Perez may wish to free up additional wage funds.

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The club president is rarely shy about making a huge splash in the transfer market, so an eventual deal for Reus wouldn't come as a major shock. That said, Khedira's uncertain future means both Perez and Ancelotti need to find an intelligent defensive midfielder to offer bulk ahead of the defence, particularly now that Xabi Alonso is no longer at the club.

Silva is progressing well, and it's only a matter of time before a European club signs him up. The quality of his reported suitors underlines the player's maturity, making Madrid a viable destination in either of the next two transfer windows.

Khedira's presence will be missed if he leaves, but Silva's arrival would offset the departure with Madrid's long-term future in mind.