Real Madrid Transfer News: Marco Reus for Sami Khedira Swap Rumours Emerge

Carlo Ancelotti may soon take pole position in the race to land Borussia Dortmund star Marco Reus, after reports surfaced claiming Sami Khedira could head to Signal Iduna Park in his place.

Former Stuttgart star Khedira will see his contract at the Bernabeu expire next summer, but French outlet Le 10 Sport (h/t Daily Star's Chisanga Malata) claim a player-plus-cash deal is in the pipeline:

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Le 10 Sport claim Los Blancos boss Carlo Ancelotti is so eager to sign Reus that he is willing to offer them cash plus Khedira to acquire the coveted forward, who scored 23 goals for Dortmund last season.

Reus, 25, has also been linked with a move to the Premier League, and several publications have claimed that Arsene Wenger, Louis van Gaal, Brendan Rodgers, and Jose Mourinho are preparing winter bids for the former Borussia Monchengladbach star. 

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It would be an optimal move as far as Ancelotti is concerned, adding yet another superb attacking ingredient to his squad while taking little away from an engine room that has already shown it can cope without Khedira.

Injury to Luka Modric has seen Los Merengues' resources become slightly stretched, but Toni Kroos, Isco and Asier Illarramendi have done their bit in tending to the squad's central-midfield concerns.

Martin Meissner/Associated Press

Disappointingly for those hoping to rival Real, the deal may also work for Jurgen Klopp, who would receive a fine midfield addition and extra funds to go about signing a Reus replacement.

Despite the interest in his side's talisman, Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke has kept up a staunch front regarding Reus' potential exit, per Goal.com:

The 25-year-old may well wish to see further success with his boyhood outfit, but the Black and Yellows currently sit 16th in the Bundesliga, level on points with basement club Werder Bremen. It's hardly encouraging for a player regarded as one of the finest assets in Europe.

What's more, Reus' La Liga pursuers may take heart in the knowledge that he's already brushing up on his Spanish, according to ESPN FC's German expert Stephan Uersfeld:

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@uersfeld Watzke: Reus loves Dortmund! But is this enough? Remember: Reus already taking Spanish lessons! For Dortmund? No! Maybe?

— dembowski (@uersfeld) December 11, 2014"

Reus' current contract includes a clause that will see his release fee drop to just £20 million next summer, a figure that many of Europe's top clubs are bound to find appetising.

Rather than lose their man for that sum in six months' time, it's plausible the club will opt to cash in now, and the promise of seeing a player as talented as Khedira arrive in his place certainly sweetens the deal.

Abdeljalil Bounhar/Associated Press

So severe is Dortmund's current predicament, however, that there's no guarantee Khedira will even want to join Klopp's crew in 2015. That's especially the case considering the Daily Mail's Pete Jenson has reported the likes of Bayern Munich and Chelsea are interested in his signature.

Real may do all they can to convince their anchorman to leave so that Reus can take his place at the Bernabeu. However, a mountain of variables promise to see the Dortmund maestro's case complicated further before any transfer is agreed upon.