Real Madrid will reportedly sign a superstar this summer

Real Madrid fans are nervous about the upcoming summer transfer window, because the club made no signings last summer in order to potentially afford a major star this year. But with the economic crisis raging on and now even Raphael Varane mired in exit rumors, Madridistas are worried the window will go from “organization-altering” in a positive way to a more negative definition of the phrase.

But there is reason for hope. Luka Modric will almost certainly stay, young players like Antonio Blanco or Miguel Gutierrez could take another step forward, and Sergio Ramos could still re-sign.

And now, Josep Pedrerol reports on El Chiriniguito (tweet and attached video in Spanish) that Real Madrid will sign a superstar in the summer 2021 transfer window. Pedrerol states that this major star will be, as you’d expect, either PSG’s Kylian Mbappe or Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland. Mbappe is reportedly the favorite of the two, but Los Blancos will pursue Haaland if they cannot cobble enough together to afford the PSG man.

We know that Dortmund have to sell either Haaland or Sancho this summer. The latter seems more likely than the former, because there is reportedly a handshake deal between Dortmund and Haaland’s agent Mino Raiola to let the striker move on to a bigger club in 2022. That club is, presumably, Real Madrid. But they may not have to wait until 2022.

Real Madrid cannot wait to sign Kylian Mbappe

Real almost certainly cannot wait until 2022 for Mbappe, who seems more likely to re-sign with PSG. So if Real want him, they need to pay up this summer, and that could involve Los Blancos making a bit of a trade to ensure PSG accept their offer. If they cannot sign Mbappe in 2021, then even a release clause added to the striker’s deal would be too onerous.

Mbappe or Haaland. Both young forwards are already superstars capable of scoring 30 goals in a league season and successfully leading the line in the Champions League. The former would be easier to fit into a team that already includes Karim Benzema, but he will also be more expensive. As for Haaland, he has the advantages of being younger and cheaper. And he’s so good that Real would surely find a way to start him and Benzema together.

It’s unclear if Real will be able to make such a splashy signing this summer, but we need all the optimistic news we can get, if nothing else but for our own well-being. We’ve had enough to fret about this season.