Real Madrid reportedly have the first chance to sign Erling Haaland over other clubs

Real Madrid have long held interest in Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland, but you have to think that in light of Karim Benzema’s injury issues and the team’s putrid attacking performance against PSG in the Champions League, the club’s desire to sign Haaland has increased further.

Haaland seems to have Madrid as his dream destination, and while Los Blancos have been trying to convince the player to wait, it seems like Real may no longer want to wait either.

According to a report from SPORT, Real Madrid have reached a “preferential agreement” with Erling Haaland’s camp after a meeting in Monaco. Apparently, this means that Real can start negotiating with Haaland before any other club, blocking the competition from getting the first crack at the Norwegian international. And that could be a decisive advantage for Real.

That the report is positive for Real and comes from Catalan-based outlet SPORT is interesting in and of itself, and the report itself has been translated to English. Another sign this report is a big deal and a potential game-changer for Madrid? BILD themselves have confirmed two key aspects of the report. They say that there was indeed a meeting in Monaco between Haaland’s representatives and Real, and they also relay that Los Blancos are favorites to sign him.

Benzema’s presence may have more of an impact on a Haaland transfer than Kylian Mbappe’s. Only rumors have speculated that Haaland may not want to play with Mbappe, because every report seems to indicate that it has not been a significant deterrent, but rather something he is weighing the positives and negatives of.

Real Madrid appear ready to sign Erling Haaland in 2022, not 2023

Neither Real Madrid nor Haaland seem to have significant doubts if there is indeed a so-called “preferential agreement” between both parties. This seems to indicate that Real are ready to sign Haaland in 2022 instead of pushing to wait, while Haaland has told the people negotiating on his behalf to go for his dream club, Real, first.

Now, that does not guarantee Los Blancos will sign the crown jewel of the Bundesliga, but it does mean that he is theirs to lose. Meaning, as long as Real do not screw this up or something drastic happens, Madridistas have every reason to believe that a second Galactico, in addition to Mbappe, will be arriving at the Santiago Bernabeu in 2022. Though, of course, Madridistas will not see Mbappe as a guarantee either, until there is an agreement and the PSG renewal rumors can finally dissipate. 

Chances are, Real Madrid will sign at least one of these two special talents. Haaland is within sights, and while this report is not something fans will immediately believe at face value, it is an encouraging development and another strong sign that Los Blancos are much more favored than rivals Barcelona for the former RB Salzburg standout.