Haaland's inner circle claim Mbappe to Real Madrid is done deal

Stuart Telford

• 18 Jun 2023 11:00 BST
• 3 min read

Real Madrid are in the market for a new striker with Karim Benzema leaving for Saudi Arabia, with Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane all linked with a move to the Bernabeu.

Benzema won the Ballon d'Or as recently as October, but will now leave for Al-Ittihad on a €200 million-a-year deal, joining former Madrid teammate Cristiano Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia.

Real need a world-class replacement, and Haaland, Mbappe and Kane are among an elite handful of players who could hope to replace the Frenchman at the Santiago Bernabeu.

READ: 'Barcelona could have signed Erling Haaland', says Laporta's rival

Haaland's contract at Manchester City still has four years to run, and reportedly includes a release clause of €200m which activates in 2024. After a maiden season at the Etihad that took in a continental treble and 52 goals in 53 games, he seems unlikely to go anywhere yet.

Whilst Kane is another option, Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy is a notoriously difficult negotiator at the best of times, and loath to he see his captain and top scorer leave at all.

Mbappe rebellion?

Mbappe's situation is different, however, with the player having told PSG of his decision not to exercise the one-year extension option on his contract at the end of next season, paving the way for a cut-price move to Madrid.

READ: Real Madrid have financial plan to sign Kylian Mbappe

Haaland confidante Jan age Fjortoft, a former Norway teammate of his father and agent Alife, thinks Mbappe to Real Madrid is a done deal.

"Like I have said for a long time, after the World Cup Mbappe will join Real Madrid either in the first or the second transfer window," he posted on Twitter in reply to a claim that Mbappe's relationship with PSG was completely broken.

"My tip is that that deal is already signed and locked up some way."

Whether that would preclude a later Haaland transfer to Madrid remains to be seen. Tactically, he and Mbappe could play together with Haaland up front of the Frenchman playing off him, making it a financial question more than anything.