With the footballing economy growing rapidly in recent years, clubs like Real Madrid have had to adjust to the changing situation. To their credit, they have done it better than anybody. Just look at how things have turned out for the likes of FC Barcelona or several of the Italian giants. On the other hand, Los Blancos have remained one of the best sides in world football, winning two of the last three Champions League titles.
One of the major reasons behind that is how successful they have been when it comes to signing high-profile names as free agents. Just this summer, Kylian Mbappe arrived after his contract at PSG ran out and he is arguably the best player in the world.
The fact of the matter is that playing for Real Madrid is a dream for many and quite a few of them seem to be willing to run down their contracts to make that possible. Alphonso Davies could be about to do the same next summer.
As reported by AS, Davies will run out his contract with Bayern Munich, which ends on June 30, 2025. The German club went so far as to offer him an almost galactic renewal, with an annual salary of €14 million net per season. But the player's desire to sign for Real Madrid prevailed.
Bayern Munich's Alphonso Davies looks set to join Real Madrid
Of course, there are a variety of reasons why it has become common for top players to run down their contracts in recent years. When they join as free agents, they can often land a significant signing-on bonus. It is also easier to negotiate a higher salary because clubs are not having to pay a transfer fee to sign them.
In the long run, it can prove to be a smart decision for many. Now, it remains to be seen if Real Madrid are successful in signing Davies as a free agent or not.
Interestingly, the club could go a similar route in the opposite full-back position. Trent Alexander-Arnold has been heavily linked with Real Madrid in recent weeks and his current deal with Liverpool runs out in the summer of 2025 too.