Zinedine Zidane: 'I have not asked for a new striker'

Zinedine Zidane has denied claims that he urged Real Madrid chiefs to push through a move to sign Kylian Mbappe from AS Monaco to fill an attacking void in his side.

The Frenchman confessed at the weekend that Alvaro Morata's move to Chelsea has left him "a striker short", leading to claims in the Spanish press that a bid for Mbappe could be imminent.

Zidane has made no secret of the fact that he is a big fan of the young Monaco ace, who will likely attract a world-record fee to be prised away from the Stade Louis II, but the Madrid boss insists that he has not demanded a replacement be brought in for Morata.

"I didn't ask for a number nine, and you (the media) know it," he told reporters. "I'm not going to ask for anything, we're working hard, we are 28 players and I'm happy with all of them."

Zidane saw his side draw 1-1 with Manchester United at the Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara on Sunday night, before going down 2-1 on penalties.