Mbappe in last-chance saloon with Real Madrid with dynamic shifting away

Real Madrid are keen to sign Kylian Mbappe, but increasingly the reporting coming out of the Spanish capital is that they would not be averse to shifting their attention to Erling Haaland either.

Paris Saint-Germain CEO Nasser Al-Khelaifi told the press yesterday that he has a gentleman’s agreement with Mbappe, and the 25-year-old continues to avoid committing his future one way or another. Meanwhile recent reports are that Jude Bellingham has been in touch with Haaland in order to persuade him to leave Manchester City for Real Madrid.

Mbappe has already turned Los Blancos down three times, and Cadena Cope claim there will not be a fourth. If the French forward does not manifest his desire to play for them, accept their terms and sign a deal, then that will be it for Mbappe and his Real Madrid dream, not just next season, but Melchor Ruiz says he will ‘never’ play for Los Blancos if he does not sign a deal this year.

Meanwhile Diario AS have contradicted the rest of the Madrid-based media, claiming that he has an ultimatum for the 15th of January to declare his desires one way or the other from Real Madrid. They go on to say that with Mbappe remaining silent, and with all the history between the two now, there is a growing section within Real Madrid that would prefer to sign Haaland.

All reports regarding Mbappe should be taken with a pinch of salt, given it is a situation that has been through many twists and turns. While no doubt Real Madrid will go after Haaland at some point, and likely this summer if Mbappe does not join them, the timing of the reports seems a clear tactic to increase the pressure on Mbappe. In the case of Ruiz’s reporting, Real Madrid had leaked that Mbappe had ruined his chances of playing at the Santiago Bernabeu last time he turned them down, but 18 months later are pushing for his signature again.