Real Madrid News
Real Madrid expect Kylian Mbappe’s price tag to be €200 million this summer
According to a report from AS, Real Madrid are expecting PSG to demand a transfer fee of €200 million for star attacker Kylian Mbappe in the ongoing transfer window.
Mbappe’s contract with Les Parisiens expires in 2024 and the player has made it clear that he does not wish to extend beyond that and leave the club for free.
But PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi made it abundantly clear on Wednesday that there is no way Mbappe will leave the club for free and that the 24-year-old will either have to renew his contract or leave the club this summer.
Given Mbappe’s reluctance to renew, there is now a strong expectation that he will be on the move in the current transfer window itself, although he will fight to seek the loyalty bonus that he would be owed by PSG next year.
Either way, should Mbappe become available on the market, Real Madrid appear to be the French superstar’s likeliest destination .
Los Blancos have been trying to sign the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner for years now. They came close last year when Mbappe’s contract was expiring until he performed a late U-turn and signed a new deal with PSG.
Prior to that, the Merengues had made multiple bids for him in 2021, ranging from €150 million to €200 million, and it is expected that PSG will hold out for at least €200 million to sell Mbappe this summer.
But, for the sale to go through, Mbappe will have to change his stance. And the longer he takes to do that, the pressure rises on PSG as the risk of him leaving for free in 2024 increases. It could force them into lowering their demands for the forward.
At the same time though, Real Madrid would potentially also have to cover the €70 million net salary (plus bonuses) that he would have earned at PSG if he stayed for another year.
So, the financial commitment required to sign the Frenchman will be huge, but Los Blancos are prepared for it and will pounce if Mbappe agrees to leave this summer.
One of the biggest positives for Real Madrid from the last season was the breakthrough of young midfielder Thiago Pitarch.
The 19-year-old La Fabrica prospect had been in the first-team dynamics since pre-season under Xabi Alonso, but finally got his senior debut under Alvaro Arbeloa at the turn of the year.
From that moment on, Pitarch did not look back at all, gaining prominence in the team and even starting important matches ahead of established players like Eduardo Camavinga and Dani Ceballos.
However, things have not gone as per plans for the teenager this season as he has yet to play a single minute of first-team football.
January loan no longer ruled out
As such, Diario AS now reports that Pitarch would consider leaving Real Madrid on loan during the January transfer window if his situation does not improve.
The teenage midfielder suffered an injury in pre-season which kept him sidelined for a few weeks, denying him an opportunity to start the season under Jose Mourinho.
By the time he returned, the Portuguese tactician had already identified his preferred hierarchy in midfield, with the likes of Federico Valverde, Bernardo Silva, Aurelien Tchouameni and Camavinga firmly ahead in the pecking order.
A stark difference from his debut season
In his debut season, Pitarch ended with 16 first-team appearances for Real Madrid with two assists to his name.
In contrast, this term, the academy graduate has been called up to the matchday squad for five games by Mourinho this term, but has yet to play a single minute of football.
Given the situation, he used the international break to jump down to Castilla and play close to 250 minutes across three games, during which he also registered an assist.
The situation is far from ideal for a young talent who needs regular minutes to continue his development and build on his impressive breakthrough campaign.
As such, the possibility of a departure on loan in January could be considered, after Pitarch turned down offers in the summer to stay at Real Madrid.
A lot will depend on how things evolve in the next couple of months, but a temporary exit cannot be ruled out.
