Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland are two strikers that European giants are targeting to add on their rosters, and that is the case for both Barcelona and Real Madrid. Mbappe, in particular, has long been linked with Camp Nou but reports said the Los Blancos have the edge in the race to get the signature of the Frenchman.
The Catalan side is surely attractive to somebody like Mbappe. He is a rising superstar and he is rumored to leave Paris Saint-Germain in the summer for Spanish football. However, the transfer by Mbappe to Catalonia will require big money as the World Cup winner will not come cheap, said to cost around £250 million.
That kind of money is hard to come by these days for Barcelona as the club is dealing with financial difficulties, according to Goal.
No thanks to the stoppage of the games this season, Barca's revenue flow has been disrupted and the club had to appeal to the roster to accept a 70 percent pay cut. While the players agreed to the deal, the episode revealed infighting in the organization, meaning there are serious issues that need addressing.
In contrast, the situation at Santiago Bernabeu seemed more bearable. Players were only asked for a salary reduction of 10 percent and the club is looking to beef up the lineup by recruiting high-profile strikers. Mbappe is on the list plus Haaland.
That is right, while Barcelona is looking for ways to fund the recruitment of transfer targets for next season it would seem that Real can easily afford to get both Mbappe and Haaland. And money is no issue at all, the report said.
So it came as no surprise that while Haaland is rumored to cost €75 million to leave Bundesliga, the Norwegian sensation becoming a Galactico is not a problem for Real. The club has the money and if reports are true, the 19-year-old is more eager to play in the Spanish capital.
"If a deal happens this summer, it is Real Madrid who are best-placed to sign Erling Braut Haaland," AS reported.
Mostly, the advantage was due to Haaland's Norway teammate Martin Odegaard. The two are close friends and it so happened Odegaard is a Galactico on loan with Real Sociedad. The report said the Norwegians are dreaming of playing together so it is an inside step for Real.
Add to that is that Haaland has Mino Raiola for an agent and in recent weeks, the Italian has indicated he will deliver a great player to the side of Zinedine Zidane.
It's easy to see that things are lining up for Real Madrid. Barcelona's dream of a strike force headlined by Mbappe and Haaland could be coming true soon but not in Camp Nou.
