What’s the story?
Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo has been the All Whites’ main man ever since his move from Manchester United. However, at 32, the Portuguese superstar is not getting younger and now latest reports from Diario Gol claim that Madrid have earmarked Monaco star Kylian Mbappe as the ideal replacement.
Florentino Perez is desperate to make a marquee signing and although Mbappe is only 18, Perez is confident that the Frenchman will go on to become one of the world’s best footballers in the future. Mbappe is capable of playing as a winger or as a forward, and the Real Madrid hierarchy see him as the perfect fit to their dynamic system.
In case you didn’t know...
Monaco star Kylian Mbappe has been in stunning form for the Ligue 1 side and his eye-catching performances have attracted a number of top Europan clubs (like Chelsea and Manchester United) all over the world. The youngster has been an absolute phenomenon already having netted 19 goals and chipped in with 5 assists in all competitions this season.
Another interesting aspect is the fact that Mbappe considers Cristiano Ronaldo as his idol and it will certainly be an attractive proposition to him to follow in his idol’s footsteps at Madrid.
Also read: Zidane backs Ronaldo for strong run-in with Madrid
The heart of the matter
Cristiano Ronaldo has had a decent season so far for Real Madrid, but compared to his usual high standards, his decisiveness for Madrid has gone down a couple of notches. With Ronaldo now 32, Perez and Zidane are interested in signing a long-term replacement.
The reports claim that they want to ease Mbappe into the team next year and they will make him Madrid’s main man in 2018/19 where they will start to phase out Ronaldo from the team. The signing of Mbappe will definitely prove to be a coup for Perez.
What’s next?
With games coming thick and fast, Real Madrid will be hoping on Cristiano Ronaldo to step up and inspire them to silverware once again. While Ronaldo’s powers may be on the wane, there is no denying the fact that he is still the go-to man for Los Blancos and a lot of the results will depend on his performances.
Also, it promises to be a summer of big spending at Real Madrid. With James Rodriguez tipped to exit the Bernabeu, we might see Real Madrid spending astronomical amounts to secure the signings of stars like Eden Hazard, David De Gea or Kylian Mbappe.
Author’s take
It is only right that Florentino Perez and Zidane have started planning for the long-term future. While Ronaldo is still one of the best if not the best footballer in the world, the signing of a young talent like Mbappe will definitely benefit the All Whites.
Also read: 8 Superstar Real Madrid academy graduates you probably did not know of
