With a move for Paul Pogba all but out of the question, Los Blancos are looking at other options.

With deadline day in the transfer window fast approaching, Real Madrid have until Monday to secure reinforcements for Zinedine Zidane’s squad. One area that the Frenchman is keen on bolstering is the midfielder, with Paul Pogba being heavily linked with the club.

However, the Spanish giants have made no breakthrough in their pursuit of the 2018 World Cup winner. As a result, they are looking elsewhere for alternatives and are considering a move for a highly-rated Portuguese midfielder.

According to Correio da Manha (as per Mundo Deportivo), that man is none other than Bruno Fernandes. The Portuguese midfielder has made a name for himself in the Primeira Liga, impressing immensely last season for his club Sporting CP.

The 24-year-old scored 32 goals and provided 18 assists in 53 appearances last term and was thus linked with a move to several European elites. Man United, the employers of Pogba, were close to landing the midfielder as a replacement for the Frenchman but eventually pulled out.

Similarly, a move to Tottenham did not materialize and Fernandes thus remained in his home country. However, with his $77M price tag, he is a cheaper option for Los Blancos.

The Sporting CP ace has begun the new season extremely well. So far, he has one goal and four assists under his belt after only three Portuguese top-flight games in 2019/20. While he is labelled as a backup option should Real Madrid fail to agree a reasonable price for Pogba, it should be noted that the transfer window in England is closed and with the Red Devils having failed to replace the former Juventus ace, it’s hard to see them selling him to Los Blancos.

Fernandes isn’t the only player named as an alternative for the Old Trafford superstar. The likes of Christian Eriksen and Donny van de Beek have also been linked with Santiago Bernabeu.