Italian sources suggest Real Madrid eye Ricci from Torino, revealing their strategy.

The upcoming days are set to be anything but calm for Torino. According to the front page of Tuttosport this morning, even Real Madrid have now set their sights on Samuele Ricci.

The midfielder, managed by Paolo Vanoli, has been at the centre of transfer rumours for quite some time. A few months ago, he was linked with Manchester City, and prior to that, he was associated with Milan, as well as to a lesser extent, Inter and Lazio within Italy.

Is this interest from Spain a genuine effort or just a passing rumour? It might be too early to tell.

One thing is certain, according to the newspaper: for the Galacticos, the idea is to strike a deal for July, while Pep Guardiola and the Citizens are keen to bring Ricci on board as soon as January.

However, the intentions of the player and Torino remain to be clarified. The Granata have recently lost another key player, Duvan Zapata, to the transfer market. Will they let another of their prized talents from Piedmont leave?

In short, challenging days lie ahead for Samuele Ricci and Torino.