Real Madrid are watching Napoli midfielder Fabián Ruiz.

AS says Real have hatched a medium-term plan to try and lure the 23-year-old from the San Paolo to the Bernabéu next summer.

The in-demand player has a contract with the Serie A side until 2023 and Madrid's strategy is to make their interest apparent and attempt to exercise some influence over Fabián's contract negotiations.

As is stands, Fabián has no release clause in his deal, which runs to 2023, and given interest from Madrid, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid, president Aurelio De Laurentiis is eager to rectify that situation.

Real Madrid had made a tentative inquiry about the midfielder and been quoted a number around the 80 or 90 million-euro mark.