COMMENT: Real Madrid have one transfer window left to put their squad in order, but if they splash the cash on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang would one of their front three stars have to leave the club?

The Spanish giants are known for their blunt style of signing the big names that they want and they appear to be going about things in familiar style with Borussia Dortmund's highly-rated Gabon international forward.

Allegedly, talks have taken place with Aubameyang and everything has been settled with the player, but those reports have rattled his club and they have now said they will only accept €100 million for his services.

Madrid are more than capable of risking that kind of outlay on a player who could not only transform them on the field, but bring in lucrative marketing deals and sell a mountain of the club's new shirt around the globe.

If the reports are true and president Florentino Pérez does spend big this summer then will that move be funded by a big departure and, if so, which of the BBC combination of Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo should be moved on?

There is a case to be made for each being replaceable, but perhaps the most unlikely at this stage would be Ronaldo given his ability to attract sponsors and corporations to invest in Madrid - should they be given access to the star. His ability on the field may have reached its peak, as outlined in a previous column, but he is still a seen as the most reliable of the front three star names available to Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane.

Karim Benzema has had an impressive campaign appearing in 20 league games, 19 of which he started, and scoring 19 goals, while he has netted four times in five appearances in the UEFA Champions League. At 28, the French striker is in his prime and is seen as a great foil for Ronaldo as he chips in with goals and combines well with the Portuguese.

His strength, aerial prowess and speed when running at defenders has also won him plaudits, but he has begun to pick up knocks that have kept him out of crucial games, including a current month on the sidelines with a problem in his right leg. Allied to that, the former Lyon star's off-field drama in France has also caused alarm for both the player and Real Madrid, with Zidane recently stating that he was 'tired' of the case and hoped for a conclusion soon.

Benzema has been charged with complicity to blackmail and conspiring to commit a criminal act over a sex tape involving friend and fellow France international Mathieu Valbuena and he has been suspended by the national team while the case is ongoing.

Recent allegations that he lied to Valbuena about having seen the tape has earned him more bad publicity and with Madrid highly conscious of the image of their players and that of the club, he could well be offered to Europe's elite clubs in the summer.

However, the most realistic departure at the end of the current campaign could be Gareth Bale, who has been much-maligned since a stunning first season at the Santiago Bernabéu that culminated in him scoring in both the Copa del Rey final v FC Barcelona and the Champions League final versus Atlético de Madrid.

The Wales international has just returned from another two-month spell on the treatment table and pictures of the holes in his socks to alleviate the pressure on his beleaguered calf muscles pointed to the ongoing search for an answer to his physical problems.

Madrid are well aware that despite his under-performance for them having drawn criticism from both the Spanish media and the club's fans, he would still command a hefty fee should he be offered to mega-rich English Premier League clubs in three months time.

Rumours have persisted since the end of Bale's first season in Spain that a move was on the cards, but both he and the club have stated publicly that he would not be going anywhere.

Now though the mooted arrival of Aubameyang could change all that with Florentino Pérez looking to save himself from his critics after hearing vociferous calls for his resignation in recent home games.

Los Merengues' president is an old hand at self-preservation and a big money signing has always helped make him popular - and the arrival of the Dortmund forward would be a welcome sign, among the supporters, that something is being done to close the gap between Madrid and Barça.

While Bale may not be valued at the €100million-plus that he was bought for, his departure would go a long way towards meeting Aubameyang's asking fee.