The increasing inflation coupled with the evolution of football – aspects like commercial deals and image rights – has seen a massive surge in players’ general transfer prices. Even an inexperienced player with “supposed” talent costs a lot of money in today’s market.
Hence, we run down a list of five clubs that could break the transfer record—set by Manchester United for Paul Pogba—in the near future.
#5 Arsenal for Kylian Mbappe
This is a long shot, but Arsenal are being linked with the player consistently—and all reports indicate a record-shattering price.
The French youngster has all it takes to become the next best thing in football. He is fast, a good finisher, possesses brilliant attacking awareness and, above all, is mature. When someone sees him play, they would be forgiven for thinking that he is a veteran at what he does.
Ever since the departure of Thierry Henry, Arsenal have lacked a genuine goalscorer in their team. While Alexis Sanchez does bang them in quite often, he is not really a beast-mode goalscorer that Mbappe is or can be.
With the French starlet, Wenger might have to pay a world record fee but he will secure the frontline for the next 10 years at least. And it is for this reason that Arsene Wenger—someone who has been labelled as a miser for his tight approach when it comes to spending—is willing to let go of his general principles and sign him for a record amount.
#4 Barcelona for Paulo Dybala
The departure of Xavi and the apparent decline of Andres Iniesta, coupled with the fading influence of Busquets due to the lack of a proper partner, the midfield conundrum at Barcelona has never been bigger. While Ivan Rakitic is a good player by all means, he hasn’t lived up to the huge name of his predecessor, Xavi.
Enter Lionel Messi.
The Argentine is touted to end his career as a midfielder and with a change in management, and the apparent inability of Barca board to find an adequate replacement for Xavi, Messi might be shifted sooner rather than later.
So, who takes his place? While it is impossible to replace Messi, Paulo Dybala is the player that comes the closest, at least in terms of positional likeness. The Argentine is a star in Italy and will definitely go on to become one of the best players in the world, if he isn’t already.
However, Juventus won’t let him go for cheap, as we have seen with Paul Pogba’s transfer, and only a record-breaking offer will take him away from Turin.
#3 Manchester United for Gareth Bale
This could happen eventually. The pursuit of the Welshman has been somewhat of an eternal thing for the Red Devils. Ever since the former Southampton starlet became a world class player with the North London outfit, Manchester United have kept an eye out for him.
After four seasons with Real Madrid, the Welshman seems to be at somewhat of a crossroad at Madrid. He might have won the three Champions League titles with the Whites, but he hasn’t yet established himself as the star player, thanks to the presence of Cristiano Ronaldo.
So, here we are, at a point where one cannot really be sure as to whether the former Tottenham man will ever go on to have that status. Bale might not move right now, but he might eventually go to the Theatre of Dreams. And if he does, it won’t be for anything less than a world record fee.
#2 Paris Saint Germain for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
The dilemma of Aubameyang seems like a never-ending one. The Gabon star promised his grandfather, on his death bed no less, that he would go on to play for Real Madrid one day. Right now, however, there doesn’t seem to be a chance.
At Borussia Dortmund, meanwhile, it feels as though he has played for far too long while waiting for the Madrid train that might never come. So now he has to make a decision: keep playing for Dortmund until Real Madrid come for him or join a European superpower and kill his Real Madrid dream instead.
It seems as though the latter might just happen this season as French giants, Paris-Saint Germain, are interested in acquiring his services. At a time where the likes of Romelu Lukaku and Alvaro Morata are being quoted for prices near to a €100 million, it is only fair that the former St. Etienne striker commands a world record fee for himself.
And given PSG’s financial muscle and last season’s disaster, they might just end up paying it.
#1 Real Madrid for Kylian Mbappe
This is the likeliest of things to happen. The kid of the hour, the most sought-after player in Europe, the one many claim will be THE best player in the world in the future, Kylian Mbappe is a star on the rise. After only becoming a first-team regular in November last year, he hasn’t looked back and has forged his way up to stardom.
After breaking numerous records in his short time in competitive football, Mbappe seems destined for greatness and Real Madrid want to be a part of that greatness. While a host of clubs, including Arsenal and PSG, are after his signature, the player, according to reports, has set his sights on a move to Madrid—the club of his heart.
Despite being only 18, he has shown an incredible amount of maturity and it is for this reason that Zinedine Zidane wants him on his squad, despite Mbappe having a huge price tag on his head. With Alvaro Morata seeking greener pastures, Madrid will need someone to replace him.
And that certain someone is most likely going to be Kylian Mbappe—and he will only come at a record price.
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