One of the main objectives for Real Madrid this summer is to find a central defender to replace Pepe, who looks set to leave the club, with Manchester City's Nicolas Otamendi emerging as a potential target.

The Portuguese defender has an offer of a one-year extension on the table, but it now appears that his future may go through China, while Otamendi is looking to return to LaLiga after previously playing at Valencia.

However, the first option for the club is to advance Jesus Vallejo to the first team, currently on loan at Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt, although the question that lies is whether the 20-year-old would benefit from a further year in Germany before returning to Madrid.

Should Madrid look to bring Vallejo back to the club, he would be able to learn under Sergio Ramos and compete with Raphael Varane and Nacho Fernandez, but another year in Frankfurt - with the added potential of Europa League football - could see the former Real Zaragoza captain come back to the club as a more complete player after another year-long loan.

While waiting for a decision on Vallejo, agents will not stop offering players to Los Blancos with Otamendi, who had been a target of Madrid in the past before joining City, being the most recent name to emerge.

In the summer of 2015, the Argentine signed for Manuel Pellegrini's City side and two years later, with Pep Guardiola now at the helm, he is looking for a change of scenery, and unsurprisingly, Madrid is his first option.

The position of centre-back is one that Zinedine Zidane's side are heavily considering, but there is unlikely to a large disbursement of funds, such are the options already at the club.

Otamendi's price would be around 30 million euros and while there are doubts about whether Varane can stay fit, the confidence in Ramos is complete, and Nacho has proven to be a vital player whenever he has come into the team.

With the options already at the club, and having Vallejo waiting in the wings, the arrival of Otamendi doesn't appear to be that likely, despite his offer and desire to play for the club.