Real Madrid News
Saudi Arabia offer world record fee and a two-year deal worth €400m for Real Madrid target
The situation between Kylian Mbappe and Paris Saint-Germain has never been more volatile. The French club is doing everything in its capacity to ensure that the youngster either renews his deal or leaves this summer, but Mbappe sits firm on his desire to stay.
The World Cup winner plans to join Real Madrid on a free transfer in 2024, thus securing a loyalty bonus from PSG and a signing-on bonus from his new club. The Ligue 1 side disagree and do not see a departure for free to be a feasible option.
According to reports earlier today, PSG are now willing to listen to offers from any party interested. While there is solid interest from Real Madrid and the Premier League, Saudi Arabia has emerged as the latest entrant.
French outlet L’Equipe report that the offer from Saudi Arabia for Mbappe is much higher than the whopping €222 million PSG paid for Neymar Jr. It is thus a world record bid and appeals to the offices at Parc des Princes.
Fabrice Hawkins adds that Al-Hilal offer Mbappe a salary of €400 million over two years as part of the proposal. Further, they would let him sign for Real Madrid in 2024 if he wishes so.
The 24-year-old has been left out of PSG’s preseason squad travelling to Japan and is currently training with the other club outcasts in Paris. The club have made it clear that he will not play for them again until he reveals his final decision.
Mbappe thus has a critical decision to take. He is strictly opposed to signing a renewal, but the option of moving to Saudi Arabia for one season before signing for his dream club is unlikely to appeal to him either.
Real Madrid will continue monitoring the situation from afar and will only make their move once there is more clarity.
Real Madrid can’t seem to catch a break, as far as La Liga is concerned.
After a defeat to Atletico Madrid, where the referee made a few controversial calls, Real Madrid’s recent game against Villarreal was also mired in controversy, after Vinicius Jr. was sent off and his goal disallowed.
The Brazilian now faces the possibility of facing a lengthened suspension that could rule him out of El Clasico later this month.
Real Madrid frustrated over kickoff time vs Valencia
Now, Real Madrid have found themselves another issue, this time regarding the kickoff time for their upcoming La Liga game.
According to AS, Real Madrid are unhappy with the slot LaLiga has handed them for their Matchday 12 meeting with Valencia.
Madrid face AEK Athens in the Champions League on Wednesday, November 4 at 6:45 PM, only for LaLiga to then schedule the Valencia clash for Saturday, November 7 at 9:00 PM.
With the squad set to land back in the capital in the early hours, Mourinho’s men will have little more than Thursday and Friday to prepare for a Valencia side that has proven stubborn of late.
Club sources describe “enormous unease and surprise” at the decision, precisely because it hits the players so directly.
Rivals handed the kinder draw
The frustration deepens when Madrid look across at their title rivals.
Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Villarreal all play their European fixtures a day earlier, on Tuesday, November 3, and then feature in LaLiga on Sunday, November 8.
Betis, who travel to Borussia Dortmund on the Wednesday, are likewise handed a Sunday slot.
That leaves Real Madrid as the only one of the five Spanish sides in Europe forced to play on the Saturday, surrendering a full day of recovery to their competitors.
From the dressing room’s point of view, there is no logic to it. With an international break following that weekend, and no midweek European or Cup commitments to juggle, Madrid see no reason the game could not have been pushed to Sunday.
