Real Madrid Transfer News: Latest Rumours on Paulo Dybala and James Rodriguez

Paulo Dybala has reportedly "put the brakes" on signing a new contract at Juventus amid reports Real Madrid have been in touch with his representatives.

That's according to Lluis Miguelsanz of Sport, who added that Los Blancos president Florentino Perez "has spent weeks managing the forward’s potential arrival in the future, and the operation is on track to be completed once the club’s transfer ban draws to an end" in 2018.

Real may not register any new players until then, while the Argentinian's current deal is due to expire that year.

By the time Los Blancos can register players again, Cristiano Ronaldo will be a month away from his 33rd birthday, while Karim Benzema will be 30. Dybala could come in alongside Alvaro Morata as Real begin the transition to a new generation of forwards.

The versatile forward—who can play as a striker, support striker or a No. 10—turned 23 on Tuesday, with Squawka Football marking the occasion:

Last year, he racked up 23 goals and nine assists in all competitions. You can see each and every one here:

Dybala is known for terrorising defenders, running at them with pace, and making use of his strong technical skills and agility to glide past them.

The forward is a clinical finisher and also a creative and incisive force in the final third. Bleacher Report UK's Adam Digby (h/t FourFourTwo's Stats Zone) looked at his numbers when he netted a brace to drive the Bianconeri to a 2-1 victory over Udinese in October almost single-handedly:

As Miguelsanz noted, a player of his immense potential won't come cheap—Juve "have put a €100 million price tag" on his head—but Real could use the Serie A outfit's interest in James Rodriguez to offset some of the cost by making him part of the deal.

Alternatively, Real could help pave the way for Dybala to arrive by allowing the Colombian to head to Turin on loan this January. Miguelsanz reported the Bianconeri would be "delighted" with such a deal and Rodriguez himself is "keen for a move."

TF-Images/Getty Images

The 25-year-old has made 10 appearances this season, but just five have come in La Liga at a total of 209 minutes.

Per Spanish football writer Andrew Gaffney, Rodriguez has not been helped by the emergence of Marco Asensio:

Despite his limited game time—492 minutes all told—he has accrued a goal and seven assists, contributing one or the other every 62 minutes.

As such he could still be a highly useful asset to Juventus, and his arrival would go a long way toward softening the blow of losing Dybala if Real can pull off the deal.