Real Madrid's Plan to Overhaul Forward Line - Including Erling Haaland & Kylian Mbappe

​Real Madrid are mapping out a plan to rejuvenate their forward line over the coming transfer windows that would see young superstars Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe make the switch to the Bernabeu one after the other this year and next.

Madrid, who are yet to properly replace Cristiano Ronaldo and have once more relied on a veteran Karim Benzema for goals in 2019/20, have been linked with Mbappe for some time. Haaland, meanwhile, is a newer target after his meteoric rise this season.

90min revealed earlier this month that Real have eyes on French trio Paul Pogba, N’Golo Kante and Mbappe, although their ability to formalise that interest could be compromised by the effect of the coronavirus pandemic on finances at most clubs around the world.

With that potentially delaying an approach for Mbappe until next year, Marca writes that Haaland has been identified as the preferred option to fill the ‘number nine’ role long-term. The club is said to consider signing both of them 12 months apart ‘difficult, but not impossible’.

Haaland had scored 40 club goals in all competitions this season before football was halted due to the global pandemic. 28 of those came for Red Bull Salzburg, but he got another 12 in his first 11 games for Borussia Dortmund following a January move. The Norwegian teenager also scored 10 times in the Champions League, second only to Robert Lewandowski.

Even though Haaland has been a Dortmund player for only a matter of months, Marca claims Real could look to make use of his €75m release clause.

The youngster is represented by agent Mino Raiola, who recently explained it is a personal dream of his to broker a permanent transfer for one of his clients to Real. The automatic interpretation is that means Pogba, yet he didn’t name names and Haaland may ultimately be more viable.

As for Mbappe, Marca writes that a transfer in 2020 is unlikely, but by 2021 he will have just one year left on his current Paris Saint-Germain contract, assuming he resists offers of fresh terms. The idea of having the World Cup winner run down his deal is not a new method for Real, while this is not the first time that ‘Mbappe 2021’ has been reported by the Madrid press.

While Haaland would replace Benzema, Mbappe would operate more like Ronaldo from wide areas. If Real can pull off the ambitious double move, it would be a huge statement of intent. 

As already alluded to, however, it won’t be straightforward in the slightest.

For more from Jamie Spencer, follow him on Twitter  and Facebook!