As the summer transfer window quickly approaches, Real Madrid will no doubt already be preparing and lining up the players they want to make huge bids for this year.

One position that will be key for them to fill is a striker. While the club already have the very capable Gonzalo Higuain and equally talented Karim Benzema up front, they still felt the need to bolster this striker force in January.

As a result they signed former Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor on loan from Manchester City. If rumours are correct, he could make the permanent switch this summer.

Here are 10 possible strikers that Real Madrid may wish to pair with their record signing.

Sergio Aguero

Age: 22

Current Club: Atletico Madrid

Nationality: Argentinian

Reason: The young Argentinian has been rumoured to be leaving Atletico for a while now and Real Madrid could be his path out. Some rumours have surfaced from different sources that his club have offered him to Tottenham Hotspur for an unknown fee, which could be a sign that if the price is right, Atletico are willing to let Aguero leave.

If that's the case, he could make a great striker for Real Madrid, and with his mixture of youth and experience, he could be a valuable partner to Cristiano Ronaldo.

Fernando Llorente

Age: 26

Current Club: Athletic Bilbao

Nationality: Spanish

Reason: Llorente seems to be one of the more popular options with many of the Real Madrid fans, which is clearly understandable following his goal scoring form so far this season. The Spaniard was a part of his nation's World Cup winning squad, making one appearance throughout the tournament.

With a goal record in La Liga that most strikers would envy, he seems like another perfect option for Ronaldo to be linking up with in the near future. If he were to be signed, it would no doubt mean a rotation policy between the clubs current strikers and Llorente.

Emmanuel Adebayor

Age: 27

Current Club: Real Madrid (on loan from Manchester City)

Nationality: Togolese

Reason: Already gaining experience playing for Real, Emmanuel Adebayor has signed for the club on loan until the summer from Manchester City. It's hard to tell whether he'll be snapped up in the summer, with City clearly sending a message that he's no longer needed at Eastlands with the signing of Edin Dzeko.

The Togolese star player will probably be the favourite to be signed by Real this summer, but it all depends on how well he links up with the rest of the team over the remainder of this current season.

Wayne Rooney

Age: 25

Current Club: Manchester United

Nationality: English

Reason: Wayne Rooney has had a very topsy turvy season for Manchester United so far this year. After being labelled as one of the best players in the world last year, then falling off form just before the World Cup, the striker has been struggling to find his feet again since. Add to that the contract saga that occurred earlier in the year when odds swung in favour of him leaving the top Premier League club.

Rooney was rumoured to be the subject of an offer from Real last summer, and with the current situation over the past year that seems to have unsettled the England star slightly, there's no reason Madrid may not make a shock offer for Rooney.

Carlos Tevez

Age: 27

Current Club: Manchester City

Nationality: Argentinian

Reason: It's very unlikely that Manchester City will let Tevez leave if Adebayor does as well, unless for a substantial fee. It looks as though the Manchester City squad is gradually beginning to settle after being assembled quickly over the course of a few years. For that reason it's also unlikely that Tevez will be allowed to leave, but there have still been a number of rumours circulating.

Like Wayne Rooney, if Madrid did sign Tevez, they'd be partnering him up with an old teammate in Cristiano Ronaldo, and that could work to their advantage.

Giuseppe Rossi

Age: 24

Current Club: Villareal

Nationality: Italian (US-Born)

Reason: The Italian already has a respectable amount of experience playing in La Liga with Villareal and could therefore prove to be a very sensible purchase by Madrid were they to make an offer for him. Rossi is one of the top scorers in the league this season, always being near the top of the scoring charts thanks to his eye for goal.

While Real Madrid may have better options to look for, Rossi would be one of the cheaper choices but could still prove to be a very clever buy.

Edinson Cavani

Age: 24

Current Club: Napoli

Nationality: Uruguayan

Reason: Cavani has been grabbing many of the headlines at Napoli with his goalscoring form. Provided the hugely talented Luis Suarez and Diego Forlan weren't also Uruguayan, then there would be no doubt that Cavani would have been there first choice striker at the World Cup. Like Giuseppe Rossi in La Liga, Cavani is right up near the top of the goal scoring charts in the Serie A and is rated as the favourite to take the golden boot.

It may take a fair amount of money to prise him away from Napoli, but if the lure of Madrid is big enough, it's a realistic option for the club.

Alexis Sanchez

Age: 22

Current Club: Udinese

Nationality: Chilean

Reason: Chelsea have, for a long time, been the favourites to sign the young Chilean, but that doesn't mean it's a guaranteed move. Madrid may well want to sneak in and take Sanchez from under the nose of many other European clubs. At just 22, he is already right up on the Serie A scorers chart and also has World Cup experience to his name with Chile last year.

It may take a while for him to fully settle in at the Bernabeu, given his age, but if Madrid are looking to buy for the future, they could easily grab one of football's brightest prospects right here.

Mario Balotelli

Age: 20

Current Club: Manchester City

Nationality: Italian

Reason: Admittedly a long shot for Madrid to buy Balotelli, especially given his enthusiasm to sign for AC Milan in the near future, but stranger things have happened. Like Carlos Tevez though, Manchester City wouldn't let him leave for cheap, which could be another problem to Real Madrid.

While the transfer could well go through, the chances are Madrid will find a cheaper and equally reliable option elsewhere. The only difference being Balotelli's far younger age.

Ricky Van Wolfswinkel

Age: 22

Current Club: Utrecht

Nationality: Dutch

Reason: Arguably just as much of a long shot as Balotelli but for completely different reasons. Wolfswinkel is one of the brightest young prospects to be seen at Utrecht for some time and has reportedly drawn interest from a number of top English sides. Regardless, he has not been able to prove himself at the very highest level yet, partly due to Utrecht's minimal European football.

Madrid may go for Wolfswinkel if they want a youngster and can't get Aguero, Sanchez or Balotelli, but at the same time, it would still prove a huge risk. Whether Real are ready to take that risk or not is anyone's guess.