The upcoming summer transfer window has not gone according to plan for Real Madrid as the 2021-22 La Liga champions plans for progression have been scuppered after missing out on French starlet Kylian Mbappé.
After sitting on the fence for months, the French international icon has decided to remain in the city of lights after signing a 3-year extension that comes with an absolute mindblowing €300million sign-on bonus, which will net the player €150million over the length of the new deal according to French football correspondent for AS, Andrés Onrubia Ramos.
🚨| Kylian Mbappé’s new contract details at PSG:
• €300m signing on bonus, €150m net.
• 3 year contract. @AndiOnrubia #rmalive— Madrid Zone (@theMadridZone) May 21, 2022
This comes as a massive blow for Madrid after so much of their transfer planning for the summer revolved around Mbappé’s acquisition, but the club also missed out on the chance to land former Borussia Dortmund wunderkind Erling Haaland who opted to follow in his father’s footsteps and head to Manchester City as his next port of call.
But there could be some measure of hope as the transfer window approaches, with Madrid now said to be prepared to turn to another French starlet in a shift in transfer responsibilities, with AS Monaco midfielder Aurelién Tchouameni now jumping to the head of the queue.
Perhaps the sustained contributions from Karim Benzema and the rapid progression of Vinícius Júnior this season may now have Madrid thinking another forward should not be the priority, and the aging profiles of Luka Modrić and Toni Kroos mean that Tchouameni could be viewed as a vital summer acquisition in the wake of the club bringing in Eduardo Camavinga last summer window.
Though the holding midfielder does not bring with him the “galacticos” profile of the likes of Mbappé or Haaland, he does offer a long-term solution to an issue in the center of the park that the club could now avoid entirely, offering a central platform for Madrid to rebuild around moving forward.
