Zinedine Zidane Gives Green Light for Karim Benzema Understudy to Return to Real Madrid

Zinedine Zidane has given the all clear for Raul de Tomas to return to Real Madrid from his second loan spell at Rayo Vallecano to act as backup for Karim Benzema next season.

The Spaniard has once again impressed this campaign for the Madrid based side, enough so to convince Zidane that the striker has a future at the club.

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According to AS, the French boss is willing to bring the player back from his second loan stint and become understudy to Benzema, if the club do not sign another forward in the summer window.

During his fist spell with with the club in 2017, De Tomas netted 24 goals to finish second in the La Liga scoring charts, including three hat tricks. The following year the 24-year-old signed an extended deal with Madrid, tying him down at the Santiago Bernabeu until 2023 and subsequently returning to Rayo for another year.

This season the striker has bagged a further 14 goal in all competitions, continuing to impress Zidane, who he worked alongside during the 2014/15 season while with Los Blancos' Castilla side.

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With Madrid giving the all clear to bring the player back into the first team fold next term, the player himself must now make his decision, although this is all but assured anyway, given the forward's desire to break into the starting XI as well has his devotion and admiration for Zidane.

De Tomas' return could spell the end of Mariano Diaz's time in the Spanish capital, however, as it is thought neither player is keen on becoming third choice striker - with AS stating Zidane's preference as his number two forward is De Tomas.