Mbappe’s new contract: Five wingers Real Madrid could sign instead

Karan Tejwani

• Updated: 23 May 2022 09:25 BST
• 4 min read

Kylian Mbappe ended a long transfer saga over his potential move to Real Madrid by choosing to stay with Paris Saint-Germain, signing a contract until 2025.

Real Madrid maintained an interest in the Frenchman for years, and it was believed he would finally make the move this summer, but it has not panned out in that way.

Instead, the Spanish champions will have to focus on other targets, so who could they sign to play in place of Mbappe, who they wished to get for so long?

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Who could Real Madrid sign instead of Kylian Mbappe?

Mohamed Salah

The Liverpool winger would be a shrewd option – he’s a proven goalscorer, like Mbappe, and a proven winner, having been so successful since joining the Reds in 2017.

The club and player have also been in contract talks, with an agreement yet to be found, and that could prompt a move from other clubs, like Real Madrid.

Now 29, Salah’s older and has left time in him than Mbappe would’ve, but he would still make a valuable addition to a Real Madrid team striving for success on all fronts.

Son Heung-min

The South Korean has enjoyed the season of his career, ending it with the Premier League’s Golden Boot with 23 goals – sharing the award with Salah.

Son has largely stayed loyal to Tottenham even when they’ve missed out on Champions League football, but leaving to a club as prestigious as Real Madrid would be hard to turn down.

Also 29, it’s a chance for a player to add some silverware to his CV, having never won a trophy in his professional club career.

Bukayo Saka

Like Mbappe, signing Saka would be committing to a long-term project, and it would be a fine project to be investing in.

Despite his young age, Saka has emerged as an important figure in the Arsenal set-up, stepping up this season and proving his quality on numerous occasions.

The 20-year-old has scored 12 goals and provided seven assists across all competitions this season, and Arsenal are pushing to extend his deal, but may face competition for his signature.

Christopher Nkunku

He’s not been much of a winger this season, but Nkunku has proven his quality in that position in the past, and there’s a player to improve in the Frenchman.

Nkunku has enjoyed the best season of his career, scoring 35 goals and providing 20 assists across all competitions for RB Leipzig, and he was also named the Bundesliga’s Player of the Season.

Signing him won’t be cheap, but it’s another long investment – the Frenchman turned 24 last November and he’s only going to get better in the coming years.

Riyad Mahrez

A deal that's perhaps more doable than many may think, Mahrez would be a smart option for Real Madrid considering the player's status.

Mahrez has won everything he could with Manchester City, except the Champions League, and he has often been rotated this season with others in the City squad - he's likely to get more stability in Spain.

Real Madrid's Champions League pedigree, plus the ability to improve the squad and Champions League know-how could prove to be decisive factors, should they choose to move for the Algerian.