Real Madrid CF have been on the hunt for a prolific young striker who can lead the club into the future. With Karim Benzema as a mentor, a dynamic new addition can help the club prepare for a changing of the guard. Apart from Kylian Mbape, the Spanish giants have strongly been linked to Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland, but if they exercise some patience, they may be able to save a significant amount of cash on the player's transfer fees.

At the moment, Dortmund have made it clear that Haaland is central to their plans for the current season. They have not been keen on listening to offers, and they have valued the player at over 200 million euros (£170 million). This is a staggering amount for any club, even one as big as Real Madrid.

However, if Florentino Perez can exercise some restraint, then he has the opportunity to save more than half that amount next year. It is believed that Haaland's agent, Mino Raiola, has injected a release clause in the player's contract which will be activated by next summer. That sum is unconfirmed, but it is believed to be in the region of 75 million euros.

The pact between the cub and the player allows Dortmund to have security in their investment at least until 2022, while providing Haaland with an opportunity to decide his fate beyond that.

Earlier this year, Raiola and Haaland's father were spotted in Spain, where they visited both the Camp Nou and the Santiago Bernabeu. The player appears keen to join either of the Spanish giants, but Premier League clubs have shown interest as well. It appears that the Norwegian will remain in Germany for now, but talks will be allowed starting in September.

Dortmund are also planning for their own future, signing 22-year-old forward Donyell Malen from PSV with the view of grooming him as a replacement.

Erling Haaland
Erling Braut Haaland celebrates after scoring the opening goal for Borussia Dortmund against Schalke Martin Meissner/POOL
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