Real Madrid Transfer News Roundup: Erling Haaland tipped for Los Blancos move; club receive Kylian Mbappe boost, and more - November 17, 2023
Real Madrid are fighting for the La Liga trophy this season. Carlo Ancelotti's team have won 10 games and lost just once in the league and are second in the table after 13 games.
Meanwhile, Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has been backed to eventually join Los Blancos. Elsewhere, the Spanish giants have received a boost in their plans to sign PSG top scorer Kylian Mbappe.
On that note, here's a look at the key Real Madrid transfer stories as on November 17, 2023:
Erling Haaland tipped for Real Madrid move by agent
Erling Haaland's agent Rafaela Pimenta has admitted that the player could eventually move to Real Madrid.
The Norwegian has taken his game to a new level since arriving at Manchester City from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2022.
The 23-year-old has 69 goals and 13 assists in 71 appearances across competitions for the Cityzens and has turned heads at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Los Blancos remain on the hunt for Karim Benzema's successor and Haaland is a target. Speaking recently, as cited by The Metro, Pimenta added that the Norwegian will decide when he wants to leave the Etihad.
"Erling is the master of own destiny, always. He will always do what’s good for him and for Man City. When they all are open to make a change, it will happen. Erling will always be respectful," said Pimenta.
The La Liga giants are planning to team up Haaland with Kylian Mbappe at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Los Blancos receive Kylian Mbappe boost
Real Madrid have received a boost in their plans to sign Kylian Mbappe.
According to AS, Paris Saint-Germain won't offer the French superstar a new deal. The 24-year-old's contract with the Parisians expires at the end of the season, but he hasn't agreed an extension yet. Los Blancos have been hot on his heels for years and are expected to move for him next summer.
The La Liga giants are apparently planning to lap Mbappe up on a Bosman move. However, the Ligue 1 champions are hoping to convince him to agreed to a one year extension clause in his contract.
PSG reckon they can no longer give Mbappe a hike on his current pay but are hoping that the player stays till 2025. The Parisians are convinced that Neymar's departure and multiple changes in the squad could help them keep hold of Mbappe.
Federico Valverde opens up on joining Real Madrid
Federico Valverde has opened up on the day Real Madrid came calling.
The Uruguayan midfielder joined the La Liga giants from Penarol in 2016 and broke into the senior team a year later. He has amassed 19 goals and 18 assists in 221 appearances across competitions and is a first-team regular.
In his column for The Players' Tribune, Valverde sais that he initially thought Los Blancos' interest was a joke.
"My mom called me and said, 'Hey, come to our room right now. There’s some people here who want to talk to you.' We had a curfew and weren't supposed to leave our rooms, so I said, 'I can't, Mum. I gotta go.' I hung up. She called me back, 'Fede, come now. These men are from Real Madrid'," wrote Valverde:
He continued:
"Literally, I thought she was pulling a prank. I rushed over to the room to see what was going on, and sure enough, there were two guys there I'd never seen before. She had tears in her eyes. But she's always crying, so I still didn't know what to think! They told me, 'We're from Real Madrid. We believe that you can become a star for us. We want you and your parents to move over to Madrid'."
The 25-year-old went on to add that it was the first perfect day of his life.
"That was the first perfect day of my life. Because I saw how excited my parents were. My mom cries for anything, but my dad is a rock. It takes a lot for him to show emotion, but I saw a tiny little crack! Hahahah. I saw the light in his eyes, you know? 'My son plays for Real Madrid.' There's no price in the world you can put on that sentence," wrote Valverde.
Valverde is key to Real Madrid's succession plans for Luka Modric and Toni Kroos.