The beginning of this summer was marked by a shock for many as Kylian Mbappe chose to stay at Paris Saint-Germain. However, it also provided some rest for Madridistas who have spent the past few seasons, and particularly the past year, waiting to see if he would join Real Madrid or not. But for those who believe that the Mbappe to Real Madrid saga has reached its conclusion, you probably have another thing coming as this is nothing but a pause to the rumors that will begin again in about two to three years when the player nears the end of his contract once again. In fact, Florentino Perez refused to completely close the door on a potential move for the Frenchman.
As all this happens, another name has entered the minds of the club in Erling Haaland who recently chose to join Manchester City from Borussia Dortmund but will have a release clause to be activated in 2024. Many reports suggest that this clause is deliberate as he aims to join Real Madrid after gaining more experience in the Premier League.
It seems difficult to see Los Blancos going for both players and if it came down to choosing just one, who should it be? There are reasons to go for the Norwegian superstar.
Vinicius Jr. continues in his natural position
One of the biggest stories of the past season was the emergence of Vinicius Jr. after he struggled during his first couple of seasons at the club. The Brazilian has risen levels above what was expected of him and is an integral part of the team winning three trophies over the course of the campaign. Because of that, Real Madrid aim to invest heavily in him, and aside from any financial investments, there is also a physical one. He needs to keep playing and personally, I can’t possibly imagine how good Vini will be three years from now if he’s reached this point already.
Mbappe’s arrival would hurt his development in one way or another just like it would have if he joined this summer. Haaland’s arrival wouldn’t impact Vini’s position. Instead, he will be coming in to be Karim Benzema’s replacement and in two or three years from now, this is a requirement. As much as it hurts to say this, Benzema is quite close to his end at the club. So far, he has been sensational which is why Real Madrid haven’t pushed for Haaland’s signing from Dortmund. In a few years, the conversation will be different.
It’s true that technically, Mbappe can play as a center-forward but that’s not his preferred position and Haaland is a stronger center-forward than the Frenchman.
Erling Haaland hasn’t disrespected Real Madrid
It’s no secret that Real Madrid has been aiming for Mbappe’s signature and planning for it over the past few seasons. This isn’t only because they wanted him to join the club and hoped that he would. It’s because he made it clear that Real Madrid was the club he wanted to go to and even said so after PSG refused to accept a bid last summer. Therefore, his choice to renew with PSG after all of this is a sign of disrespect to the club and Florentino Perez. Even though he possibly will want to join Real Madrid in three years, the events this summer will not and should not be easily forgotten.
On the other hand, we haven’t seen this from Haaland. In fact, we have seen very smart and calculated moves from the striker. After his breakthrough at Red Bull Salzburg, many top clubs wanted him. He opted to join Borussia Dortmund, a top club in their own right. This was smart from him as he guaranteed playing time and growth in a club known for molding some of the greatest players in recent years. After spending time there and consistently reaching great heights, he has now chosen to go to Manchester City.
The reasons for this move are both professional and personal. His father, Alfie Haaland, played for Manchester City for three years between 2000 and 2003 and Erling Haaland wanted to play there too. In addition, honing his craft in the Premier League will only be beneficial to him, especially in a club like Manchester City. He will undoubtedly be a starter under the guidance of Pep Guardiola.
The next step up should be Real Madrid. A different league and the top team in Spain and the history of Europe. If he continues to progress as he has over the past few years, the version of Haaland that Real Madrid get to be Benzema’s replacement will be a joy to watch.
Avoiding negotiations with PSG
For obvious reasons, Real Madrid will want to avoid any possible negotiations with Paris Saint-Germain and Nasser Al Khelaifi after their relationship deteriorated over the past couple of seasons. Al Khelaifi will make things excruciatingly difficult for Florentino Perez and that’s something that Perez will want to avoid. He would rather focus on negotiating with professional and competent presidents of clubs.
Even though in three years, Real Madrid will theoretically be able to bypass any negotiations with PSG as Mbappe becomes a free agent, we have already seen how the Qatari President does everything in his power to make things a lot more difficult than they should be. Perez has understandably had enough of this over the past couple of campaigns and if a player like Haaland is available as well, why not go for the easy choice?
This isn’t to say that signing Haaland will be easy. However, negotiations with Manchester City will be civilized and professional. Also, we have already witnessed how the club would be willing to let a player leave for the right price without making things hard if he wants to leave. A very recent example is Ferran Torres’ move to Barcelona. If Haaland chooses to leave, Manchester City will not stand in his way as long as they deem the offer fair or if the buying club pays the release clause.
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There is absolutely no denying the talent that Kylian Mbappe has but the factors surrounding him make his possible move to Real Madrid very difficult. Add to that the events that unfolded earlier in the summer and it may be time for Real Madrid and Florentino Perez to shift their focus to players to deserve to play at Real Madrid. At the moment, Kylian Mbappe isn’t on that list.