Real Madrid forward transfer bargain: two for the price of one

Real Madrid's patience may pay off next summer if they can bring in both Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland without spending as much as they would have this year

There could be a silver lining to Real Madrid's failure to sign top transfer target Kylian Mbappe this summer. Next year, they may be able to pull off the move amid huge savings and bring in not just the Frenchman, but Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland as well.

The Mbappe transfer saga was all over the news in the final days of this summer's transfer window, with Los Blancos making a starting offer of 160 million euros. PSG rejected the bid, and Real Madrid came back with an improved 170 million euro offer plus 10 million in add-ons. It was later rumoured that the offer had gone up to as much as 200 million euros on deadline day, but PSG still refused.

Florentino Perez missed out on Mbappe this summer but the situation may have helped the club save a small fortune. By January, they can already ask Mbappe to sign a pre-contract agreement, allowing him to move to the Spanish capital by next summer on a free transfer.

If that deal does not face any complications, Real Madrid will have enough funds to also bring in Haaland. It is believed that the Norwegian is only interested in moving to one of the La Liga giants, and with Barcelona's dire financial status, Real Madrid have the advantage.

Erling Haaland — Erling Braut Haaland Thomas KIENZLE/POOL

To top it all off, Dortmund won't be able to place an exorbitant price tag on Haaland, owing to the fact that he has a release clause that comes into effect next summer. It means that instead of transfer fees in the vicinity of 200 million euros, the Norwegian can leave the German side for only 75-90 million euros next year.

In other words, Real Madrid may be able to land both strikers for less than 100 million euros next year. this summer, they were both valued at around 200 million euros each. Of course, both players will have more ability to negotiate bigger salaries, but Florentino Perez and his accountants should be able to find sustainable solutions.

The Spanish giants have been extremely conservative in the transfer market for the past year, and the restraint has been paying off. They were able to renovate the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium while also posting far better financial reports than most clubs in La Liga.

Eduardo Camavinga and David Alaba were the big signings this summer, but returning manager Carlo Ancelotti will surely find a way to work with the players at his disposal.