Exclusive – Real Madrid are very confident of getting a deal for Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe over the line next summer.
Los Blancos have had their sights firmly set on Mbappe for the last two years, biding their time and waiting until the 22-year-old enters the final year of his contract next summer as that would be the only time PSG would be prepared to sell.
When Real set their sights on a big signing, they don’t usually come up short, with similar pursuits of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Eden Hazard all ending in success, and sources have confirmed to 90min that Real president Florentino Perez is just as confident of bringing in Mbappe in 2021.
The pursuit hinges on Mbappe’s contract. Despite PSG director Leonardo’s recent claims that Mbappe wants to stay in Paris, 90min understands the Frenchman has long made it clear he hopes to leave the club in 2021, voicing his decision earlier this year to give PSG the chance to sell him for a suitable price – likely in excess of £200m.
Perez has been saving money in a ‘Mbappe war chest’ for over two years, and one reason for their lack of spending last summer is Real did not want to sign second-choice players when they knew they wanted Mbappe in 2021.
That kitty doesn’t contain the entire £200m as Real will instead finance the transfer in instalments, in a deal which will appease both clubs.
Because of that approach to the deal, Real expect to have some freedom to pursue other targets, with Manchester United’s Paul Pogba and Rennes’ Eduardo Camavinga high on the wish list of manager Zinedine Zidane.
Zidane is known to be a huge fan of Pogba, who has rarely shied away from flirting with the Spanish side, and he has urged Perez to set some money aside to sign him, but there is an awareness that both PSG and Juventus will offer up some fierce competition for Pogba’s signature.
If Los Blancos find themselves in need of extra money, they will turn to player departures. The likes of Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Marcelo, Isco and even Eden Hazard are all facing uncertain futures at the Santiago Bernabeu, and a handful of exits would clear up a significant amount of space in the wage budget.
Zidane and Perez have been working closely to finalise Real’s transfer strategy for next summer, with both men well aware it could end up being the biggest transfer splurge in history.
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