Erling Haaland joined Manchester City for £51 million this week, but the striker is still a long-term aim for European champions Real Madrid.
The Spanish side had intended to combine him with Kylian Mbappe in the future.Given Karim Benzema’s form, they are willing to be patient in their quest.
Real Madrid are said to be working on a deal to recruit Erling Haaland, who joined Manchester City from Borussia Dortmund just a few days ago.
After his outstanding goalscoring exploits in the Bundesliga and the Champions League, the Norwegian international was able to join the Etihad for merely £51 million this week.
Haaland has become one of the most sought-after attackers in the world, and his contract is rumoured to feature a £128 million (€150 million) release clause.
This is ideal for Real Madrid, according to AS, who are looking for a long-term replacement for Karim Benzema.
According to the report, Madrid’s interest is not a direct response to Kylian Mbappe’s surprising snub after being watched by the Spanish champions for a long time. Mbappe chose to stay with Paris Saint-Germain after being tracked by Madrid for a long time.
Instead, Mbappe was set to join this summer, followed by Haaland in 2023, despite the fact that the new City striker had already joined Pep Guardiola’s team before Mbappe decided to stay at the Parc des Princes.
Madrid, on the other hand, are expected to be patient in their pursuit of Haaland, thanks to Karim Benzema’s strong late-career form.
After scoring 44 goals in just 46 games to help Real Madrid win the Spanish league and the Champions League, the 34-year-old had his finest season at the Bernabeu in his 13-year career.
Madrid had intended to sign Mbappe and Haaland to replace the France star in the event of a natural downturn in form, but his surprising star season, which has put him in contention for the Ballon d’Or this year, has reduced the urgency of a striker search.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez backed up this viewpoint, claiming that no newcomer will be able to replace Benzema if he maintains his form from the previous 12 months.
Perez previously stated, “If someone came, it would be in case Benzema got lethargic, but not to be a starter.”
Madrid is also waiting due to a small concern about Haaland’s injury history.
The 21-year-old has already been prone to missing games, missing about 16 of Dortmund’s games last season due to hip and muscle ailments.
Madrid wants to know whether this is a genetic tendency or simply a case of bad luck.