Mbappe shock CHANGES Haaland’s Real Madrid plan

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 8 Apr 2024 15:01 BST
• 4 min read

Kylian Mbappe’s arrival at Real Madrid in the summer has forced Erling Haaland into a rethink of joining the Bernabeu club.

Manchester City forward Haaland still wants to join Los Blancos, according to AS, but the 23-year-old believes that Mbappe joining on a free transfer in the summer will complicate matters.

His idea was to join Real Madrid in 2025, but his career pathway has changed because of the World Cup winner. Indeed, it is claimed that the news Mbappe would leave PSG at the end of his contract this summer arrived to Haaland as a “shock”.

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The No.9 is now reassessing his plans because he doubts that Real Madrid can afford the salary of two such superstars without breaking Financial Fair Play rules.

Crucially, he will leave the door open for a switch to the Bernabeu via a release clause in his Man City contract. Although he is set to open talks over a new deal with the Etihad club this summer after two prolific seasons at the club, he is set to retain that exit possibility.

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Haaland still wants Real Madrid switch

AS states: “Haaland's current contract with City already allows him to leave the club this summer. There is a clause that comes into force in June.

“It is a release clause that is astronomical for Premier League clubs (more than €250 million) but not so astronomical for those outside the British Isles.

“And AS has learned that the amount is decreasing with each passing year in a plan devised by his former agent, the late Mino Raiola, which was carried out by Rafaela Pimenta, who is now in charge of the agency and is Haaland’s representative.

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“The idea is to continue with that clause that allows him to go to Real Madrid in the case he renews.”

The report points out that a dream hookup with Mbappe is not entirely off the cards either.

Haaland is thought to have tied his future to that of Pep Guardiola, whose deal at Man City is up in 2025. If the former Barcelona coach chooses to leave them, there is the possibility that he and Real Madrid could come to some agreement in 2025.