Real Madrid were linked with Erling Haaland before he decided to leave Borussia Dortmund for Manchester City.
It did feel like Los Blancos did not really make a push for the Norwegian though as they already had Karim Benzema in their ranks. Well, it is starting to look like a massive mistake on their part.
There were question marks over whether Haaland could take his Bundesliga form to the Premier League. Not only has he done that but he seems to have improved further and taken English football by storm.
There is nobody even close to him in the scoring charts at the moment. And it is safe to say that on current form, he would walk into any team on the planet, even Real Madrid. Haaland is the real deal and it is time that we accept it.
For years, Real Madrid have been linked with a move for Kylian Mbappe, and the Frenchman is brilliant in his own right. But Haaland just seems to be head and shoulders above him, and he is doing it in a much better league. So, Los Blancos must start laying down the foundations of a future move already.
Interestingly, it does not feel like Haaland is someone who will remain at Manchester City for a long time like Kevin De Bruyne or Sergio Aguero.
As reported by Marca, if certain minimum sporting objectives are achieved then there will be a €200 million release clause in his contract in the summer of 2024, or €175 million in the summer of 2025.
Now, it is hard to call a €200 million transfer fee, a bargain, for any player. But in the current transfer market, one has to admit that that kind of a figure is not outrageous for someone like Haaland. He is just that good.
Of course, a lot can change in two years. Football is a game of uncertainties. But if Haaland continues to perform at this level, Real Madrid should not think twice about making a move for the Norwegian superstar in 2024.