Real Madrid legend Ronaldo Nazario gave the club some advice on how to approach valuing PSG’s two superstars.
PSG have two of the world’s three best players in Kylian Mbappe and Neymar, and Real Madrid have been linked to both of them over the past year. Last summer, there were rumors that Neymar could join Los Blancos amidst heavy links to a reunion with Barcelona. Those rumors never materialized, of course, as Real had just spent 300 million euros on new transfers, including Eden Hazard.
In 2020, those Neymar rumors continued to bubble a little bit, but Real Madrid have never really seemed interested in the star. Perhaps that could change after his incredible Champions League run, as he’s shown that he is indeed the best in the world right now over Lionel Messi.
But Mbappe is Real’s top transfer target. He is just 22 and is an absolute star, menacing defenses with his movement off the ball, explosiveness, technical quality, and killer finishing. Mbappe is a goal-scoring machine who can play at a world-class level at every single forward position conceivable; he is the perfect transfer for Real in 2021.
There is no guarantee Real Madrid can get either player, of course. But if they can, the legendary No. 9 Ronaldo Nazario knows which one Los Blancos need to target.
Real Madrid should invest in Kylian Mbappe over Neymar
Ronaldo, per MARCA, recently stated that if Real invest a significant amount of money in a player, then they need to pick Mbappe over Neymar. And for him, age was the defining factor here.
"“Right now it is not that one is better than another, but if Real Madrid has to make a large investment, it has to do it thinking about the future. Neymar is 28 years old and Mbappé 22. As an investment it is supposed that it would be more logical to bring the most young.”"
It’s obvious advice, to be honest, but there may be some Madridistas who are rethinking things. After all, PSG rely on Neymar more than anyone else, as evidenced by that close win over Atalanta in the quarterfinals. Neymar is the chance-creator and star of the team, though Mbappe has the most overall transfer value and long-term upside.
Neymar would do wonders at Real Madrid, that is clear. But Real can only sign one player. They need a long-term superstar and a goal-scoring forward, so the president of Real Valladolid is right on the money. Los Blancos need to make Mbappe their priority, even over the current best player in the entire world.