Real Madrid regret Alvaro Morata sale and will sign cut-price striker in January

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane and club president Florentino Perez are in agreement that it was a mistake to sell Alvaro Morata in the summer, but will look to rectify the error by signing a cut-price replacement in January.

The reigning Spanish champions have launched an underwhelming defence of their La Liga title and currently trail Barcelona by eight points, while they look certain to finish runners-up to Tottenham in Champions League Group H after last week’s defeat at Wembley.

Cristiano Ronaldo was branded an ‘opportunist’ by captain Sergio Ramos on Thursday after the club’s star forward claimed Real’s struggles were a direct result of a bungled summer window which saw James Rodriguez and Pepe depart, as well as Morata.

Despite three big names leaving, Zidane was unable to sign any big-name replacements and saw his primary target Kylian Mbappe opt for a move to Paris Saint-Germain.

Sport, however, claim the ailing European champions will enter the market in January but will look to recruit a cheap, short-term solution to their problems with Perez believing a player in the mould of Emmanuel Adebayor, who arrived at the Bernabeu on loan in January 2011 when Jose Mourinho was in charge, would fit the bill.

The club are confident Ronaldo’s own disappointing goalscoring form, the 32-year-old has found the net only once in La Liga this term, is temporary, while Gareth Bale’s impending return to injury will also offer Zidane another attacking option.