Real Madrid will accelerate their pursuit of Lucas Silva in light of James Rodriguez's recent setback, according to AS.
The Colombia international pulled up with a calf injury during Los Blancos' 3-0 victory over Celta Vigo on Saturday, meaning he will miss the upcoming Club World Cup.
This, combined with Luka Modric's existing layoff, has led the newspaper to suggest that Madrid will step up their attempts to land the Cruzeiro starlet in January.
The capital giants initially planned to sign Lucas Silva next summer, but it appears that a €15m move may be moved forward to allay Carlo Ancelotti's concerns about his midfield.
The Coach has acknowledged Toni Kroos' fears of burnout, but he is also thought to remain unconvinced by Asier Illarramendi following the Basque's poor performance against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League last season.
Furthermore, Ancelotti is unable to call on the services of Porto loanee Casemiro, while he has reportedly lost faith in Sami Khedira, whom he feels irresponsibly prioritised the World Cup over his fitness.
