How Real Madrid could line up with Erling Haaland

Martin Macdonald

• Updated: 23 May 2023 08:40 CDT
• 3 min read

This week the transfer rumour mill went into overdrive when the agent of Erling Haaland, Mino Raiola, was spotted in Barcelona ready to meet the club with regards to his client’s future.

It let many to hypothesise that Barcelona may be leading the race for Haaland’s signature, but this isn’t believed to be the case, as Raiola is set to meet a selection of other clubs in the coming week including Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, and Real Madrid.

READ MORE: How Barcelona could line up next season with Erling Haaland

The Norwegian is one of the hottest properties in world football at the moment following his exploits over the last 18 months for RB Salzburg and then Borussia Dortmund.

He has emerged as a devastating goalscorer and has scored 33 goals in 30 starts in all competitions in the 2020/21 season alone.

Haaland also recently broke Kylian Mbappe’s record for the smallest amount of games to score 20 Champions League goals before the age of 21.

Speaking of Mbappe, the World Cup winner represents perhaps the biggest obstacle to Haaland joining Real Madrid, who are one of his leading suitors at the moment.

Mbappe is an admitted Real Madrid fan and idolised Cristiano Ronaldo as a youngster, while compatriot Zinedine Zidane remains at the helm at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Los Blancos didn’t spend a penny last summer with the general feeling they were saving money for a big-money Galactico signing in the summer of 2021 – Mbappe.

But the emergence of Haaland has made him desperately wanted in Madrid, too.

So, if we assume it is Haaland and not Mbappe that Real Madrid sign, how would their starting XI look next season?

Real Madrid XI featuring Erling Haaland

There are, of course, a few caveats to the above line-up.

FootballTransfers reported this week that no less than 10 members of the Real Madrid squad are up for sale this summer, with the club hoping to recoup as much money as possible in order to fund deals for Haaland, Mbappe, or both.

Sergio Ramos might not be there, too, as his contract runs out at the end of the current campaign with no news on an extension being agreed upon yet.

So, although there will likely be other recruits, this is how Madrid would look with the players currently available.

One very interesting link-up that people haven’t really been talking about is the potential for a Haaland-Eden Hazard tandem in the final third, which could certainly be devastating if the Belgian were able to remain fit.

Haaland would also certainly benefit from the passing quality of Toni Kroos and Luka Modric in behind sliding balls in behind for him to run into.

Even though the Dortmund man would be a new signing if he were to arrive, he would undoubtedly become the main man in attacking areas for the Spanish capital club.

Maybe, just maybe, that is what he wants?