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Real Madrid must pay up to €60m for Ajax midfielder Donny van de Beek as the Spanish giants weigh up possible alternatives for expensive Manchester United star Paul Pogba.

With Real splashing the cash on Eder Militao, Luka Jovic, Eden Hazard and Ferland Mendy so far this summer, a central midfielder is expected to be the next position targeted.

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Pogba is thought to be the primary choice for coach Zinedine Zidane, while Tottenham's Christian Eriksen and Lyon's Tanguy Ndombele are also rumoured backup targets.

But 22-year-old Van de Beek, who grabbed the headlines in the Champions League last season after scoring in both the quarter final and semi final, has also now been linked with Los Blancos.

According to De Telegraaf, Real enquired about Van de Beek and have been quoted a figure between €50m and €60m by Ajax sporting director Marc Overmars.

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Despite Zidane's rumoured insistence on Pogba, Van de Beek appears to be both more affordable and more attainable than the French World Cup winner, for whom Manchester United would demand an enormous fee, and whose wage demands could be difficult to meet.

Should Van de Beek leave Ajax this summer, he would likely be the third high profile Dutch player to be sold for big money. Frenkie de Jong has already sealed an €86m transfer to Barcelona, while Matthijs de Ligt looks set to join Juventus for more than €70m.

Moroccan international Hakim Ziyech is also now being linked with Sevilla, while Brazilian winger David Neres is a rumoured target for Everton, Tottenham and Arsenal.

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Real Madrid are no strangers to signing players schooled at Ajax, with Clarence Seedorf, Wesley Sneijder and Rafael van der Vaart among those pulling on the famous white kit.