Kylian Mbappe: Have Real Madrid laid the groundwork for their next transfer?
In what initially appears to have been a very low key window for Real Madrid, the Spanish giants have potentially taken a huge leap forward in their attempts to sign Kylian Mbappe, one of football's next big stars.
In a football economy rocked by COVID-19, signing a player of Kylian Mbappe's quality was always going to be out the question. Even the biggest clubs have found their finances in tatters with the virus slashing away at their earnings through reduced match day revenue and TV rights. English giants Manchester United have found their pursuit of Jadon Sancho near impossible, so far refusing to pay Borussia Dortmund's demand of £108m in the current market. Kylian Mbappe would likely cost even more than that, making Madrid's caution understandable. In fact, the reigning La Liga champions have yet to make any signings of note at all.
Spain's Economy Blues
Further damage to the Spanish sporting economy has become apparent after recent reports that Real Madrid's fierce rivals, Barcelona, have been blocked from signing Memphis Depay and Georginio Wijnaldum until they first sell players in order to raise funds. The Daily Star reports that La Liga has informed Spanish sides they will be limited in how much they can spend, after the Spanish government gave them financial aid in the wake of the Coronavirus.
Kylian Mbappe: The Next Galactico?
Real Madrid have made no large scale purchases yet, and have also sold a large number of players they considered unnecessary to the club's current project. While raising a modest fee of about £27m for Reguilón, the Los Blancos also raised close to £36m for Achraf Hakimi. Perhaps most importantly, Real Madrid finally got rid of both James Rodriguez and Gareth Bale, even though they did not get a fee for either. Clearing this enormous burden of the wage bill was always going to be an essential requirement in the future signing of Kylian Mbappe who will likely command staggering wages upon his signing.
Next summer, when many of Europe's top clubs may still be reeling from the ongoing effects of the coronavirus, Madrid will find themselves in a far more advantageous position to sign Kylian Mbappe. With cash to burn and the player's reported desire to wear the famous white shirt, it seems more of a matter of when, and not if, Kylian Mbappe takes the stage at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.