PSG target Haaland to replace Real Madrid-bound Mbappe

Jacque Talbot

• Updated: 12 Mar 2023 11:43 GMT
• 3 min read

Paris Saint-Germain will make a play for Erling Haaland should Kylian Mbappe decide to join Real Madrid.

The Manchester City star, who was only brought last summer from Borussia Dortmund, is on course to break the Premier League goal-scoring record, currently held by Mohamed Salah, and his spellbinding form in front of goal has reportedly piqued the interest of the Ligue 1 champions.

A report in Sport says that PSG are already thinking about next season, having been knocked out of the Champions League by Bayern Munich in the Round of 16.

The board, under pressure to win the accolade, are looking at ways in which they can bolster the side for next term, and Haaland is considered the perfect fit.

READ MORE: Guardiola hints at Haaland future amid Real Madrid links

Lionel Messi is locked in talks with the club over a fresh deal, his current one ending in June. Elsewhere, Neymar looks set to be heading for the exit, so PSG will be sorely out of options in attack and would need to source replacements.

L'Equipe reported last week that Luis Campos, who heads PSG’s recruitment, is targeting Bernardo Silva, Victor Osimhen and Goncalo Ramos.

Haaland under PSG's consideration

But Daniel Riolo, a journalist at French outlet RMC, spoke about the prospect of PSG opting to sign Haaland: "I think it would be a reinforced concrete partnership. I think they are interested in getting down to work," he told Football.fr.

"It seems that Haaland is not very happy in Manchester. He's not well and the game doesn't suit him either," he said in his analysis of the PSG Champions League exit. "Now we have to know if the people at City would be willing to sell a player to Qatar because that's where the political issue comes in."

"I don't know if Madrid could pay Mbappé's salary. I would recommend him to stay but with the certainty that they would create a big team around him. And one of the solutions would be to hire Zinedine Zidane as coach. They need such a coach and two or three players to strengthen the squad, and others to leave. And so PSG can start a new story."

Man City hold all the cards and would not let their forward leave so soon, but it’s thought that PSG could consider paying Haaland's release clause, thought to be around €200 million.