The Spanish media has descended on Murcia in recent days where Serie A side Genoa are holding a training camp during the Italian top flight’s inaugural winter break and one player is firmly in the spotlight: Krzysztof Piatek.

The 23-year-old has been the revelation player in Serie A so far this season, hitting 13 goals for Genoa and trailing only Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo (14) in the race to be crowned Capocannoniere at the end of the season. And the player’s presence in Spain and Real Madrid’s ongoing search for a number nine has led to speculation that a bid from the Bernabéu for the Poland international is imminent.

According to reports, Madrid have sent a scout to Murcia to watch Piatek in action when Genoa take on German third division outfit Wurzburger Kickers in a friendly on Sunday. As well as his Serie A tally, Piatek has also scored six goals in two Coppa Italia games, taking his total to 19 in 21 official games since his €4.5 million move to the Stadio Luigi Ferraris from Cracovia last summer. In two rounds Piatek bagged four against Lecce and a brace against Virtus Entella, who knocked the Red and Blues out of the competition 10-9 on penalties after extra time.

Real Madrid considering immediate move for Piatek

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Those numbers have made Madrid sit up and take notice of a player who is valued at €15m by Transfermarkt but who will in all likelihood go for over four times that amount when Genoa decide to cash in.

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has already been in touch about Piatek and Real will face stiff competition for his signature next summer, when Genoa hope to spark an auction with the opening bid set at €60m.

Real are in the market for an emergency striker with Mariano and Gareth Bale both injured and goals hardly flowing at the Bernabéu. Whether or not Piatek fits that bill is questionable but at 23 the player has time on his side and Madrid are said to be considering jumping to the head of the queue to snap him up now rather than go toe-to-toe with some of Europe’s big spenders next summer.

Piatek’s agent has already confirmed that the shop is open: “There have been many big clubs who have been knocking on our door, but there is nothing concrete yet,” said Szymon Pacanowski of his client recently.