Mbappe is about to leave Paris Saint-Germain, ** Real Madrid's future squad?
Kylian Mbappe's future has become one of football's most enduring saga of the past few years, but it is nearing its end. Mbappe's contract expires this summer, and a report from The Athletic reveals that the French striker has told the Paris Saint-Germain boss that he will leave the club at the end of the season. Although the final details of his exit are still to be negotiated, Mbappe is hell-bent on joining La Liga giants Real Madrid.
While an official announcement is still needed, it is understood that the 25-year-old has decided to take on a new challenge in Spain. Although Mbappe will not charge a transfer fee, the Frenchman's salary demand will be astronomical – €200 million a year reported by The Athletic – which will undoubtedly be one of the biggest transfers of the summer. But how does Mbappe fit into Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid?
If Mbappe's arrival is complete, he will be at the heart of Madrid's attack. His preferred position has been the subject of much debate for years, but this season he has been used at PSG in two positions – left wing and centre-forward. Luis Enrique, who deployed Mbappe on the left wing in 12 games and in the center of 19 games, was more efficient as a striker, scoring 19 goals and 6 assists, while the left wing contributed 11 goals and 1 assist. Mbappe is likely to play as a striker in Madrid, especially given Vinicius' presence and his best position on the left wing. A potential striker trio of Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo would scare defenders across Europe – while Real Madrid's potential starting eleven next year will be worth more than €1 billion.
At Real Madrid, Mbappe is expected to play as a central striker, leaving Vinicius on the left wing and Rodrygo on the right," said Ivan Fuente, a La Liga expert in the transfer market. 'His pace is perfect for the way Real Madrid like to counter-attack, and Mbappe, Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo would be the perfect fit for this system. Don't forget Jude Bellingham, who can push forward from a deeper midfield position. In addition to this, it remains to be seen how he fits into the dressing room after refusing to sign with Madrid for several years. In addition, his salary is expected to be the highest in the club, breaking the previous size, which could upset some of the current stars. Another factor is, what will happen to Endrick if he ends up joining the club next summer? Real Madrid will have plenty of options in their attacking area, with three Brazilians vying for a starting spot. ”
Vinicius, Rodrygo and Kylian Mbappe are expected to be Real Madrid's favourite three strikers if the Frenchman sign, but Endrick offers a fascinating option. In December 2022, Real Madrid signed the Brazilian teenager from Palmeillas for €45 million**. The striker, who was only 16 years old at the time of the deal, remained at Palmeiras until arriving in Madrid this summer. Endrick is widely regarded as a generational talent with the potential to become one of the best players in the world, and while Real Madrid are wary of his integration, the Brazilian will be looking forward to game time. The 17-year-old has already made his mark for Brazil and is a realistic option for the Real Madrid striker, although the pressure to lead the Spanish giants at a young age will be a factor for Ancelotti to consider. The question for the experienced head coach is how to deploy all of Vinicius' attacking talent when he plays on the left wing, and Mbappe will almost certainly not be happy playing on the right wing.
Jude Bellingham started in midfield, while Aurelian Chumeni, Eduardo Camavinga and Federico Valverde will compete for two other midfield roles in Madrid's 4-3-3 formation next season. Alphonso Davies and Lenny Yoro's main targets could be further increased at the back this summer, while Thibaut Courtois is back from injury and Real Madrid's squad will be further improved.
In recent years, as Real Madrid moved away from the 'Galaxy Battleship' era, their recruitment policy has changed dramatically. As Jude Bellingham ended with 1With a high-profile signing from Borussia Dortmund at a value of 0.3 billion euros, this season is the first time in four years that Real Madrid's spending has exceeded the 100 million euro mark. Due to a number of factors, such as the pandemic and the reconstruction of the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, Real Madrid invested only 1. in the first three seasonsEUR 1.1 billion.
Over the past decade, Madrid have revamped an aging team with incredible young talent. Bellingham, Tchouameni, Camavinga, Vinicius, Rodrygo and Ed Militão have replaced Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, Casemiro and Raphael Varane, while Toni Kroos and Luka Modric are also expected to leave his summer. Real Madrid have completed the signing of Brazilian prodigy Endrick and the arrival of Kylian Mbappe is expected to return the club to the pinnacle of European football.