Wednesday 29 March 2017 08:15, UK
A Karim Benzema and Kylian Mbappe strike partnership could be a possibility at Real Madrid, admits club president Florentino Perez.
The duo are unlikely to link up at international level for France, with Benzema indefinitely banned from Didier Deschamps' squad.
And while Benzema has questioned his own absence from the national side, Mbappe earned his first call-up following an impressive campaign with AS Monaco.
The 18-year-old could make his France debut against Luxembourg on Saturday - with the match live on the Sky Sports 2 red button from 7.45pm - and the teenager's efforts this season have not gone unnoticed by Perez.
"A duo of Benzema and Mbappe? Everything is possible," Perez told RMC. "But at this time of the season, I don't want to talk about that. We don't talk about players of other teams.
"Right now, all we are thinking about is how to win La Liga and the Champions League."
Perez also leapt to the defence of Benzema, insisting there is currently no better French player than the 29-year-old Real striker.
Benzema has not played for France since 2015 after being put under formal investigation by a judge for an alleged plot to blackmail France team-mate Mathieu Valbuena over a sex video. Benzema denies any wrongdoing.
The forward subsequently missed Euro 2016 on home soil, but the France Football Federation says the decision on whether to select Benzema now lies with coach Deschamps.
"Karim is a mix of [Zinedine] Zidane and Ronaldo," Perez added. "He is the best number nine in the world and the best French player.
"I am convinced that he will stay [at Madrid] and, while now we do not talk about [contract] renewals, if it was up to me, I would keep him here during his whole sporting life.
"I am very happy with Benzema and he has exemplary behaviour."
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