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Real Madrid are lining up a move for West Ham winger Felipe Anderson as an alternative to Chelsea's Eden Hazard, per Sky Sports News.

The Spanish giants are reportedly hoping to land the Belgium international but have earmarked Anderson as a potential fallback option.

What's the word?

Real, who reappointed Zinedine Zidane as manager earlier this month, have made Hazard their top target, the report claims.

However, they have already seen one £60million bid rejected, while a transfer ban for Chelsea, which affects this summer, means that the Blues may simply force Hazard to stay at Stamford Bridge.

And Sky Sports claim that, as a result, Anderson has been identified as a possible summer signing.

A deal, they state, would cost the Spanish giants around £65m.

Anderson joined West Ham from Lazio last summer for a club-record fee of £36m.

He has since scored eight Premier League goals for the club but has not scored in 2019 and is currently on an 11-game scoreless streak in east London.

Bite their hands off

If this report is true, which does seem unlikely, then the Hammers should be rubbing their hands together in glee.

Owners David Gold and David Sullivan can basically name their price to Real for a player who has thus far flattered to deceive in England.

Clearly a skilful player, Anderson's form has fallen off a cliff since the turn of the year and he is not showing any kind of consistency at the club.

As a result, any bid north of what they paid for him should be accepted on the spot by the Irons.

Real could surely do better - their budget is such that they may well be able to buy any player in the world - but West Ham do not need to let them know that.

Instead, they should encourage their supposed interest. It is not every day that the prospect of £65m landing in one's bank account comes along, after all.