Real Madrid take next step towards highly-anticipated forward transfer

Real Madrid's hand was reportedly forced when it came to letting defender Raphael Varane leave the club this summer. However, it now appears as though it could just be one piece of an even bigger plan that will see the club finally signing long-time target Kylian Mbappe.

Premier League side Manchester United is reportedly planning to finalise a move for the French defender, which would earn the La Liga outfit somewhere in the vicinity of 50 million euros. Los Blancos have been conservative in the transfer market in the past year, and it is believed that they are preparing for a big-money move for Mbappe.

The funds generated from the sale of Varane could very well go towards the acquisition of his fellow Frenchman from Paris Saint-Germain. Apart from David Alaba who arrived from Bayern Munich on a free transfer this summer, Real Madrid has not been linked closely to many other players during this transfer window. Fans remain hopeful that the Mbappe deal may still happen, but the club has been keeping its cards close to the chest.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez does not want to challenge PSG counterpart Nasser Al-Khelaifi directly, especially after the latter made it clear that he is not interested in selling Mbappe. Los Blancos are biding their time, and are generating funds in the background. Should the opportunity arise, they want to be ready to put a substantial offer on the table.

The departure of Sergio Ramos also means that the club was able to slash his salary off the wage bill, leaving more wiggle room for Mbappe's potential signing. With Alaba's arrival, no new signings are expected in defence. Nacho and Eder Militao will take the lead, with the likes of Victor Chust, Mario Gila or Jesus Vallejo providing support.

Real Madrid aren't spending on more players, choosing instead to retain reliable soldiers like Lucas Vazquez. They still have the massive salaries of players like Gareth Bale and Eden Hazard to deal with, but Real Madrid are getting ready to meet PSG's demands should they eventually decide to sell Mbappe. The French club is expected to put a price tag worth no less than 180m euros over the player.

Mbappe has reportedly told manager Mauricio Pochettino that he does not plan to renew his contract with PSG. Instead of losing him on a free transfer in 2022, the Paris-based club might still decide to cash in now.