Spanish media reporter: Real Madrid's forward solution is to sign Haaland, let Mbappé play on the left wing, and sell Vinícius.

Manchester City ended last season trophyless, and after losing two of their first three Premier League matches this season, they are one point behind Manchester United. Following De Bruyne's exit, Haaland's style as a counter-attacking and goal-scoring forward clashes with Guardiola's possession-oriented tactics that demand incisive breakthroughs. Additionally, Haaland's weekly salary of £525,000 tops the Premier League, surpassing last season's Golden Boot and assist king Salah by £125,000, which many consider unjustified. Many City fans believe the team's poor performance is closely linked to Guardiola's overreliance on Haaland and the sale of Álvarez.

According to the latest report from AS journalist Marco Ruiz, Florentino Pérez has long wanted to sign Haaland. Real Madrid still aims to acquire the Norwegian striker, but the financial challenge is significant. Signing Haaland would require a massive transfer fee and a huge salary. Therefore, the prerequisite for Real Madrid to sign Haaland is to sell Vinícius, which would secure a true center forward for the team and allow Mbappé to return to his familiar left-wing position.

Vinícius's contract with Real Madrid runs until 2027, and if he doesn't renew, he will likely be sold in next summer's transfer window. Vinícius is demanding an annual salary of €30 million, roughly equivalent to Haaland's wage at Manchester City, but Real Madrid is unwilling to offer him such a high new contract. Thus, next summer is crucial: either a contract extension or a sale. If Vinícius leaves, Real Madrid would gain a large transfer fee and free up salary space, enabling them to fully pursue Haaland. Mbappé would move back to the left wing, and Haaland would play as the number 9—this would be the ultimate solution for Real Madrid's attack.

In my personal opinion, Vinícius and Mbappé often overlap in their movements, so their combined tactical value is clearly less than that of Haaland and Mbappé. On the other hand, without De Bruyne, Haaland's tactical value at Guardiola's Manchester City is actually limited; Guardiola might be better off using a strikerless formation that he excels at. What are your thoughts on this?