With Ruud van Nistelrooy out until the end of the season with a knee injury, Los Merengues are desperate to enhance their attacking options in January, and Huntelaar is the latest player to be linked with the club.

"Ajax are in talks with Real Madrid over the possible sale of Klaas Jan Huntelaar to the Spanish club. However no deal has been agreed at the moment," a statement on the club's official website read.

Real were interested in signing the 25-year-old last season, before unsuccessfully focusing their attentions on luring Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo.

Despite Ajax's confirmation that Real will be bidding for the player, Ajax coach Marco van Basten said he doesn’t know anything about the ongoing negotiations.

"I wasn’t informed with any attempts to sign Huntelaar," Van Basten was quoted as saying by Marca.

"We wanted the striker to stay at Ajax until the rest of the season, but of course every player has a price."

The Dutch international hit man scored 75 goals in 90 appearances for Ajax since joining the club from Heerenveen in 2005.