Just days after Erling Haaland successfully transferred from Borussia Dortmund to Manchester City, it has been rumored that Real Madrid is already seeking to sign him.
The international player from Norway is one of the season’s marquee additions after this week’s £51 million transfer to the Etihad from the Bundesliga and the Champions League.
Haaland, one of the most sought-after strikers in the world, is said to have agreed to a deal that includes a £128 million (€150 million) release clause in his contract.
This is ideal for Real Madrid, who are seeking a long-term successor for Karim Benzema.
According to the report, Madrid’s interest is not a direct response to Kylian Mbappe’s surprising decision to stay with Paris Saint-Germain despite being closely watched by the Spanish champions for a considerable amount of time.
However, the new City hitman had already joined Pep Guardiola’s team when Mbappe opted to stay at the Parc des Princes. Instead, the intention was for Mbappe to join this summer, followed by Haaland in 2023.
Due to Karim Benzema’s strong late-career form, Madrid is said to remain patient in their pursuit of Haaland.
After scoring 44 goals in just 46 games to help them win the Spanish league championship and the Champions League, the 34-year-old had his greatest season at the Bernabeu in his 13 years with the team.
In anticipation of a natural performance drop, Madrid had intended to replace the France star by signing Mbappe and Haaland.
However, his unexpectedly stellar season, which has put him in the running for the Ballon d’Or this year, has lessened the urgency of a search for a replacement striker.
Florentino Perez, president of Real Madrid, backed up this attitude by stating that if Benzema maintains his recent form, no new player would be able to replace him.
Perez previously claimed, “If someone arrived, it would be in case Benzema got lazy, but not to be a starter.”
Madrid is also being patient despite their slight worry over Haaland’s injury history.
With hip and muscular issues holding him out of about 16 of Dortmund’s games last season, the 21-year-old has already demonstrated a small propensity for sitting on the bench.
Madrid is interested in learning if this is a hereditary feature or merely the product of bad luck.