Haaland or Mbappe? Real Madrid boss Perez makes decision on which star to sign

Tom Weber

3 Nov 2023 10:15 CDT
3 min read

Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Real Madrid — © ProShots

With less than two months to go until Kylian Mbappe can choose his next club, reports linking the Frenchman to Real Madrid are proliferating once more.

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The PSG star is the subject of one of the lengthiest transfer sagas in recent history. This ordeal could finally come to a conclusion in January - unless the 24-year-old pens a new contract with his current side.

While an extension is not out of the question, Spanish journalist Ramón Álvarez de Mon claims that the Frenchman recently rejected a proposal from PSG. He also asserts that Mbappe's contract demands could prove to be an issue for Real Madrid too, with Los Blancos reportedly keen to get him to sign for six years but the player preferring a shorter deal.

READ: Man Utd’s ‘unexpected obsession’ with Real Madrid star could open door for Mbappe

Despite sensational reports linking Mbappe to Liverpool, there is a growing expectation that he will ultimately be the next Galactico. Some believe that Florentino Perez hinted at the signing of a major star in 2024 with his recent comment that Rodrygo, who just signed an extension, "will play no matter who comes."

Perez makes his choice

According to Spanish media, Los Blancos fans have grown increasingly tired of the Mbappe saga, which led to suggestions that many would prefer Real to target an out-and-out striker like Erling Haaland.

L'Equipe, however, claims that Perez is unfazed by the shift in mood and remains keen on Mbappe as a priority target. Convinced that the Frenchman is a better fit for the side, the Spanish bigwig has concerns that the arrival of a central striker may stifle the new superstar in town, Jude Bellingham, who has reinvented what it means to be a goalscoring midfielder.

READ: Bayern star 'closer to Real Madrid than Munich' ahead of summer transfer

Signing Mbappe is also much more viable from a financial standpoint given that, as things stand, he would be free as opposed to Haaland who will have a €200 million release clause in the summer. Worryingly, though, there have been suggestions that the Frenchman would have to take a significant pay cut if he were to move to the Santiago Bernabeu, which could cast doubt on Real's ability to attract him.