Real Madrid Transfers: Is Kylian Mbappe impossible in 2021?

There are three superstars who could conceivably join Real Madrid this summer and aid the club’s underperforming attack. Borussia Dortmund‘s Erling Haaland is the most likely, Cristiano Ronaldo has emerged as a potential wild card addition, and Kylian Mbappe has long been the favorite of Madridistas.

None of these three superstars will be easy to acquire. Haaland is the most likely because of the relationship with Dortmund, the lower wages compared to the other two, and the lower asking price compared to Mbappe. PSG could ask for 200 million euros in exchange for the forward.

Ronaldo is difficult because he may not want to leave Juventus with one year left on his contract, as his goal seems to be to add to his incredible legacy by winning a Champions League title with three different clubs. His wages are also high, especially since he gets taxed less in Serie A than he would in La Liga. Juventus, for their part, almost assuredly don’t want to lose their biggest attraction.

Yet Mbappe may be the hardest player to sign in 2021 of the trio. His wages also push over 30 million euros, just like Ronaldo’s. PSG are preparing to give him a major deal, and while money is not everything, his wages could prove to be a similarly uphill battle to the case of Ronaldo. And on top of all of that, Mbappe should easily cost the most on the transfer market, since he is the most valuable player in the entire world. Bar none.

There are several challenges for Real Madrid in the push to sign Kylian Mbappe

Earlier this month, Deportes Cuatro reported that Kylian Mbappe is seen as an “impossible” acquisition for Real Madrid, and thus the club will instead pursue Dortmund’s Erling Haaland instead of the PSG man.

But I don’t think Mbappe is impossible for Madrid. I cannot emphasize enough how difficult it will be for Los Merengues to sign Mbappe under these economic circumstances, but I do not think it is impossible.

Mbappe has not signed a new deal with PSG. If he were dead set on staying, he would have signed already and eliminated all distractions. So he seems to want to move to Madrid for a new challenge and be the centerpiece player of the club with the largest fanbase in the world. That interest could negate any difference in wages between Madrid and Paris, too, especially when you consider the fanfare that would be created by such a move. Real Madrid is a different level, with all due respect to what PSG have accomplished over the past handful of years.

Financially, Real will have to do some maneuvering, but they already have money saved after making no signings last summer while selling talented players like Achraf Hakimi, Sergio Reguilon, and Oscar Rodriguez. They can make more sales this summer, too. So they can potentially save enough for Mbappe, even if it means parting ways with another talented left-sided forward like Eden Hazard or Vinicius Junior.

The wages equation is tough, but it is not as onerous as the transfer fee. Mbappe’s wages can be covered if Gareth Bale moves, which seems increasingly likely due to his recent performances with Tottenham. There are no guarantees, of course, but the door is open for Bale to clear space for Mbappe. And either way, if Real can pay Ronaldo’s wages as a 36-year-old, they should be able to accommodate a player who is more vital to their future. Though the difficulty here is the combination of wages and transfer fee.

PSG’s presence as difficult negotiators, the possibility of Mbappe re-signing, and the financial perils all present distinct barriers that make an Mbappe move to Madrid so difficult. But the word “impossible” should rarely ever be used in the transfer market, especially when this club and its president, Florentino Perez, are involved. What this man has accomplished in the market throughout his career would seem impossible to many, but he may pull off his greatest masterstrokes in the next two summer windows.

Unlikely with Mbappe? I think it is fair to use these “u” words. But the “i” word? No, even the slightest crack of dawn seeping through the door is enough for Perez to work his magic.