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Victor Carretero/Real Madrid/Getty ImagesReal strikre Karim Benzema has not been playing to the liking of manager Jose Mourinho.

José Mourinho has a conundrum. It is not a new issue; the Portuguese manager identified a gap in the squad when he arrived at Real Madrid last summer, and the number nine-shaped hole still exists. A striker to cover for Gonzalo Higuaín and Karim Benzema was on Mourinho's list of priorities but was ignored by the board. Months later, with Higuaín out of action until April or May, and Benzema having scored just one league goal all season, the issue has become a pressing one.

Cristiano Ronaldo has carried the can for his misfiring French teammate in Higuaín's absence but even he could not single-handedly prevent Real from dropping a precious pair of points on Sunday to a feisty Almería side, which began the day at the bottom of La Liga and ended it there as well.

Mourinho played a fuming Ronaldo up front against Almería and has tried Kaká, who is no number nine, in the position as well. It seems that Mourinho has resigned himself to playing out the season with just Benzema at his disposal. Despite the Frenchman providing a crafty assist for Esteban Granero's equalizer, his goal-scoring instinct has deserted him entirely.

"We don't want a striker because we don't like Karim," Mourinho said after last Thursday's King's Cup first-leg win over Atlético. "Karim is working harder than ever, especially on defensive duties. He isn't selfish and he helps the team. It's just he lacks a hunger for goals."

Real does have an available striker, in the shape of 18-year-old Álvaro Morata. Despite constant jibes from Johan Cruyff -- who seems to be employed by Barcelona for the sole purpose of poking Real with a stick -- that the Portuguese manager routinely avoids promoting youth players, Mourinho is right to keep Morata in the reserve team for now. He made his debut with Castilla last August and has scored five in 12 matches but he is not the answer to a short-term problem that needs to be fixed quickly. Short of exercising its buy back option on Sevilla's Álvaro Negredo -- or going cap in hand to Raúl, who has bagged two hat-tricks this season for Schalke 04 -- here are five strikers who could fit the bill.

Ruud van Nistelrooy

The man they call "Van Gol" was prolific at Madrid, scoring 63 times in all competitions in 92 appearances in three full seasons. The former Holland international has been less deadly in the Bundesliga but has been restricted to just 26 league appearances. Van Nistelrooy still averages a goal every two games for Hamburg though, a considerably better strike rate than that of Benzema, whose arrival at Real forced Van Nistelrooy to seek pastures new. If in the end it's Ruud I'll be very happy," Mourinho said last Saturday. "We coincided in England and I know him well as a player and person."

Van Nistelrooy, for his part, is also open to the move if Hamburg proves acquiescent. "It's not just any club that's calling," the striker said after netting against Schalke 04 at the weekend, suggesting it would be rude not to answer.

Carlos Tevez

Often linked with a move to the Spanish capital during his curious trajectory through the English top flight, Tevez handed in a transfer request at Manchester City a month ago, threatening to quit football if it was refused, then retracted it and continued a habit that would appeal to the Bernabéu hierarchy: scoring around a goal every 1.5 games. A stumbling block is City's reluctance to part with Tevez in anything other than a full transfer -- and one worth around 60 million euros at that. With Real president Florentino Pérez newly reluctant to sanction big-money transfers, Tevez appears stuck in Manchester for now.

Emmanuel Adebayor

Another disgruntled striker at Manchester City, Adebayor topped a recent Marca poll of Madridistas as the most popular choice to arrive as a winter reinforcement. City may be open to a loan deal for the Togo striker, if Real agrees to pick up his astronomical salary. A mighty presence in the penalty area, Adebayor would add an aerial threat that Real currently lacks. Neither would he be greatly missed at City, where he has failed to score yet this season. The arrival of Edin Dzeko for 32 million euros leaves Adebayor fourth in the pecking order at best, behind the Bosnian, Tevez and Mario Balotelli. A six-month loan with an option to buy would suit both clubs.

Didier Drogba

Drogba was almost dropped last weekend against Blackburn Rovers and Chelsea's season has fallen into something approaching farce by the reigning champion's own lofty standard. Mourinho mentioned Drogba when he arrived at Real and remains an admirer of the Ivorian goal machine. With Chelsea expected to sign 17-year-old Anderlecht powerhouse Romelu Lukaku -- the "new Didier Drogba" -- in the summer, the old Didier Drogba may be open to a last hurrah with his former mentor in La Liga. The coming of age of Daniel Sturridge, for whom Drogba's place in the team was in question at the weekend, and the likely arrival of the 25 million euro rated Lukaku may tempt Drogba to consider his options earlier than June. If Real was to have a crack at signing him permanently now, as little as 5 million might do the trick.

Alexis Sánchez

Another player who would require Real to invest heavily, 22-year-old Sánchez has been in cracking form for Udinese in Serie A and can operate as a striker or a winger. Dubbed the "Wonder Kid," Sánchez has drawn favorable comparisons with Cristiano Ronaldo and is a full Chile international with 12 international goals to his name. Much like Tevez, though, Udinese's 30 million-euro valuation does not tally with Real's budget, and with Chelsea also interested in acquiring his services a bidding war between Roman Abramovich and Pérez could add another 10 million to that.