Real Madrid

After months of rumors and speculation, Kylian Mbappé has reportedly decided to leave Paris Saint-Germain for Real Madrid this summer.

According to ESPN's Julien Laurens, Mbappé has yet to inform PSG or Real Madrid of his decision, but he plans to officially announce it next week.

Laurens noted that PSG attempted to convince Mbappé to stay by offering him a raise on his €72 million salary, but the French star turned it down.

ESPN's Laurens and Rodrigo Faez reported in July that Mbappé had no interest in signing a contract extension with PSG despite club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi saying PSG would sell him if he didn't.

World football insider Fabrizio Romano previously reported in June that Mbappé planned to decline his contract option for the 2024-25 season so he could become a free agent in 2024.

According to Laurens, opting out will result in Mbappé missing out on €100 million in bonuses. He is also expected to make only about half of the salary at Real Madrid that he did at PSG.

Laurens noted that Mbappé's contract negotiations with Real Madrid will focus heavily on him being allowed to play for France in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

The 25-year-old Mbappé has been with PSG since 2017, and he has firmly established himself as one of the biggest soccer stars in the world during that time.

Across all competitions, Mbappé has scored 241 goals in 288 appearances for PSG, winning five Ligue 1 titles and four Ligue 1 Player of the Year awards.

Through 20 matches this season, PSG sits atop the Ligue 1 standings with 47 points, putting them nine points ahead of second-place Nice.

Mbappé has also been a superstar on the international stage for France, helping them win the 2018 FIFA World Cup and finish second in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Mbappé won the Young Player Award at the 2018 World Cup, and both the Golden Boot and Silver Ball at the 2022 World Cup.

If Mbappé goes to Real Madrid as expected, he will join a club that currently holds a one-point lead over Girona for the La Liga lead.

As for PSG, they are targeting AC Milan star Rafael Leão as a potential replacement for Mbappé, per Laurens.

Real Madrid may have come up short in LaLiga and the Champions League in 2022-23, but they can at least claim a Deloitte Football Money League title.

The company released its annual analysis Thursday, with Madrid sitting atop the list thanks to €831 million in revenue. That was a significant increase from the €713.8 million it generated for the 2021-22 season.

Here's how the top 10 looked:

Deloitte Football Money League

1. Real Madrid (€831.4M) 
2. Manchester City (€825.9M) 
3. Paris Saint-Germain (€801.8M) 
4. Barcelona (€800.1M) 
5. Manchester United (€745.8M) 
6. Bayern Munich (€744M) 
7. Liverpool (€682.9M) 
8. Tottenham Hotspur (€631.5M) 
9. Chelsea (€589.4M) 
10. Arsenal (€532.6M)

A surge in commercial revenue helped Real Madrid overtake Manchester City for the No. 1 spot despite City winning a historic treble. Los Blancos earned €403 million from sources away from the pitch, well up from €319 million last year.

It was a similar story for Real Madrid's biggest rival.

Perhaps the bill will come due for Barcelona eventually after club president Joan Laporta pulled all of the economic "levers" at his disposal. The short-term boost those measures provided is evident in the fact Barça's overall revenue went from €638 million to €800 million, the majority of which was considered commercial (€412 million).

That Barcelona's player wages still accounted for 81 percent of its total revenue still raises questions as to the sustainability of the club's finances.

Deloitte's findings certainly provide an obvious counterargument should Real Madrid and Barcelona officials renew their pleas that a European Super League is required.

The on-again, off-again pursuit of Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappé is once again off, according to Spanish radio network Cadena SER (via Goal's Peter McVitie).

This comes after Madrid issued a statement addressing recent reports linking them with the French attacker.

"In view of the information recently published by various media outlets regarding alleged negotiations between the player Kylian Mbappé and our club, Real Madrid C.F. would like to state that this information is categorically false and that no such negotiations have taken place with any player belonging to PSG," the club said.

ESPN's Alex Kirkland and Rodrigo Faez wrote it was unclear which story Real Madrid was specifically denying. They cited a report from Marca about the club's interest in signing Mbappé in 2024. Diario AS went so far as to report on potential economic terms (a €35 million annual salary after tax).

This is the longest-running transfer saga in world football.

Reports in July 2017 had Real Madrid paying a world-record fee in order to sign Mbappé from AS Monaco, only for him to wind up at PSG. That did little to quell the speculation, which has only intensified the longer the 24-year-old has called Paris home.

Madrid was reportedly prepared to pay €200 million prior to the close of the 2021 window when Mbappé was entering the final year of his contract. He signed a new deal with Paris Saint-Germain in May 2022, only for rumors of his discontent to surface that October.

The newest development, along with Madrid's statement, might ultimately mean little.

Shortly after Mbappé signed his extension in 2022, Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez downplayed his enthusiasm for the player, saying "this is not the Mbappé I wanted to bring, he is another one, who must have changed his dream." Sure enough, that didn't stop the hypothetical transfer from eventually returning to the fore.

If anything, Real Madrid's statement might have been intended to head off any alleged improprieties should the Spanish giant ever succeed in snagging the 2018 World Cup winner.

Liverpool famously had to abandon a move for Virgil van Dijk during the 2017 summer window due to potentially having had improper communication with the player. That merely delayed the inevitable, but it was a setback for both Van Dijk and Liverpool.

Real Madrid will avoid a similar mistake.

Real Madrid wants to land PSG superstar Kylian Mbappé before the beginning of the La Liga season, which starts Aug. 12 for them against Athletic Club.

Per ESPN's Alex Kirkland and Rodrigo Faez, "PSG have made it clear that they would be open to a deal this summer to avoid Mbappé leaving on a free transfer next year, but the two clubs have not yet held talks with just two weeks left before the 2023-24 campaigns kick off in Spain and France."

Real Madrid remains optimistic something can get done in time, however, so long as "PSG show that they are willing to open negotiations."

Faez and ESPN's Julien Laurens previously reported that Mbappé has no desire to extend his current contract with PSG beyond 2024.

Kaveh Solhekol of Sky Sports previously reported that PSG believes Mbappé has agreed to join Real Madrid next year on a free transfer after his contract expires.

Obviously, the 24-year-old would be a welcome addition to literally any club in the world. He has been incredibly productive during his eight seasons in Ligue 1 with 164 goals and 57 assists in 217 matches.

Mbappé also led France to the 2018 World Cup and nearly delivered another one in 2022 thanks to a hat trick, but his team lost to Argentina via penalty kicks.

He's arguably the best soccer player in the world and just received a reported contract offer of $776 million from Saudi Professional League club Al Hilal, per CBS' James Benge. However, Mbappé has reportedly "rejected to negotiate" with Al Hilal with "no intention" of beginning talks with the team, per insider Fabrizio Romano.

With Real Madrid reportedly hoping to add Mbappé before the LaLiga season, the date to watch now is Aug. 12. That may be a tough deadline to meet on the surface, but it's clear that Mbappé's PSG career is nearing its end.

Real Madrid are aiming for a different outcome in their pursuit of Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappé this summer.

ESPN's Alex Kirkland and Rodrigo Faez reported Madrid "remain cautious" but "are also hopeful" a transfer materializes.

Kirkland and Faez added that club officials aren't expected to let the negotiations play out in public again after last year's attempts to lure Mbappé away from the French capital failed.

Real Madrid already executed the biggest move of the summer window by signing Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund for an initial fee of £88.5 million.

Club has also added Fran García, Joselu and Brahim Díaz, with Eden Hazard and Karim Benzema exiting the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.

Kirkland and Faez wrote Madrid "has left vacant the No. 9 shirt" Benzema once occupied because the door to sign Mbappé has yet to close for good ahead of the 2023-24 season.

The 24-year-old indicated to PSG officials earlier this month he won't trigger the player option in his contract for 2024-25. As a result, he could potentially leave on a free transfer in another year and sign a pre-contract agreement as early as January 2024.

As a state-owned club, Paris Saint-Germain doesn't have to worry about finances as much as others do. Still, forgoing a nine-figure transfer fee would be a bold call. ESPN's Julien Laurens reported the reigning Ligue 1 champion is "open to listening to offers" and that €150 million could be the estimated asking price.

The list of clubs that can fund a transfer of that size is small, and the list of clubs for whom Mbappé would want to play is even smaller. Real Madrid checks both boxes, and the dynamic Frenchman "wants to sign," per Kirkland and Faez.

We've been down this road before, so nothing is guaranteed. But all of the signs so far point to Real Madrid finally landing the one player it covets more than any other.

Real Madrid announced Wednesday that they officially signed 19-year-old midfielder Jude Bellingham to a six-year contract.

According to ESPN, that completes a €103 million transfer agreement from Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid, which was reached last week.

Bellingham expressed excitement over joining the La Liga side and also thanked Dortmund in a statement:

"Thank you to everyone at BVB and to the fans for everything over the past three years. It's been an honor to wear your jersey so many times, in big and small moments.

"Even though I look forward to my next destination, I will never forget the journey there. Once a Borusse, always a Borusse. All the best for the future. Hey BVB!"

Real Madrid reportedly faced competition from Manchester City in landing the 19-year-old, but the Spanish side won out in negotiations.

Bellingham began his pro career at Birmingham City in 2019-20 before spending the next three seasons at Dortmund.

This past season was the teenager's best, as he scored eight goals in 31 Bundesliga appearances and 14 goals in 42 matches across all competitions.

With Bellingham in a prominent role, Dortmund nearly won the Bundesliga for the first time since 2012, but Bayern Munich overtook them on the final day of the season.

Bellingham also made his presence felt on the international stage last year, starting all five matches for England at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and becoming the second-youngest player to score for the Three Lions in the tournament.

Now, Bellingham will look to help Real Madrid get back to the top of La Liga after finishing second to Barcelona in 2022-23.

Los Blancos have finished third or better in the league standings every year since the 2003-04 season, and they are coming off winning the Copa del Rey and reaching the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League.

Now, Real Madrid have one of the most talented, young players in the world in Bellingham, and he will have a chance to grow into a potential superstar in the coming years as part of an elite club.

Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund reportedly reached an agreement Wednesday that will see 19-year-old midfielder Jude Bellingham join the Spanish side.

According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, Real Madrid will pay Dortmund over €100 million, which equates to $107 million or £86 million, making it one of the most expensive transfers in the history of both clubs.

The deal is reportedly expected to become official in the coming days, provided nothing unexpected pops up in Bellingham's medical testing.

Per Ornstein, several other clubs were believed to be interested in Bellingham, including EPL side Manchester City, although City reportedly never submitted a concrete monetary offer to Dortmund or Bellingham.

The other clubs pursuing Bellingham felt all along that his preference was to join Real Madrid, according to Ornstein.

In Bellingham, Madrid are getting one of the fastest-rising stars in the sport, as the Brit is coming off his best season by far.

During the 2022-23 season, which was his third at Dortmund after one year with the EFL's Birmingham City, Bellingham scored 14 goals in 42 matches across all competitions.

He scored eight of those goals in league play, matching the total league goals he scored over his first three professional seasons combined.

Bellingham has also cracked the English senior national team's lineup 24 times since 2020, scoring his first and only goal for England in a World Cup win over Iran in November.

That made Bellingham the second-youngest player to ever score a goal for England at the World Cup, and it made him an even more coveted asset on the transfer market.

Bellingham is set to join a Madrid squad that finished second in La Liga this season, 10 points behind FC Barcelona.

Real Madrid are just one year removed from a La Liga and UEFA Champions League title, however, which suggests a major acquisition like Bellingham could help put them back in that conversation in short order.

As for Dortmund, they finished second to Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga this season on a tiebreaker. Losing Bellingham may move them further from their goal of winning the Bundesliga for the first time since 2012.

French star Karim Benzema will leave Real Madrid this summer and is expected to sign with Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad, according to ESPN's Julien Laurens and Alex Kirkland.

Sky Italy's Gianluca Di Marzio reported the 35-year-old will make his decision official Thursday.

Laurens reported Tuesday that Al-Ittihad was prepared to offer Benzema €400 million over two seasons, matching the contract Cristiano Ronaldo signed with Al-Nassr.

Benzema signed for Real Madrid during the 2009 summer transfer window, and his arrival coincided with the return of a Galácticos era at the Santiago Bernabéu.

Along with Benzema, Madrid brought in Ronaldo, Kaká and Xabi Alonso in 2009, while Ángel Di María and Mesut Özil joined in 2010. Luka Modrić, Gareth Bale, James Rodríguez and Toni Kroos were among the notable stars who followed.

Particularly due to the presence of Bale and Ronaldo, Benzema's value was somewhat overlooked early on. He wasn't the club's primary goalscorer, nor did he regularly sit deep and make breathtaking runs through the opposition's defense.

That's what made him such a critical piece of Real Madrid's talent-laden attack.

"I changed the way I played to play with him," Benzema told former Real Madrid sporting director Jorge Valdano (via the Guardian's Sid Lowe). "Ronaldo's departure has allowed me to play a different role. He was scoring 50, 60 goals a year and so you adapt to his style. He was one of the best in the world and I was happy at his side."

Ronaldo's move to Juventus in 2018 allowed him to shine brighter than he ever had.

Since the start of the 2018-19 season, Benzema has scored 110 goals in La Liga and added another 34 goals in 48 Champions League appearances. He found the net 15 times during Madrid's run to a 14th European title last year alone.

Benzema's efforts were rewarded with the 2022 Ballon d'Or. Modrić is the only other Ballon d'Or winner not named Ronaldo or Lionel Messi since 2008.

The veteran forward's post-Ronaldo run cemented his legendary status at Real Madrid. He leaves as a four-time La Liga champion and five-time winner of the Champions League.

Real Madrid may not have successfully defended its Champions League crown this season, but the Spanish giant can at least lay claim to being the most valuable soccer club in the world.

With a valuation of $6.07 billion, Madrid eclipsed Manchester United ($6 billion) in Forbes' annual ranking and retained the top spot from 2022. Barcelona fell from second to third behind the Red Devils.

Here's how the top 10 shakes out:

World's Most Valuable Soccer Clubs

1. Real Madrid ($6.07 billion) 
2. Manchester United ($6 billion) 
3. Barcelona ($5.51 billion) 
4. Liverpool ($5.29 billion) 
5. Manchester City ($4.99 billion) 
6. Bayern Munich ($4.86 billion) 
7. Paris Saint-Germain ($4.21 billion) 
8. Chelsea ($3.1 billion) 
9. Tottenham Hotspur ($2.8 billion) 
10. Arsenal ($2.26 billion)

As expected, the Premier League is well represented. England has six clubs in the top 10 and 12 in the top 30.

The 2023 rankings also reflect the growing financial might of Major League Soccer. Los Angeles FC became the first U.S. team to hit a $1 billion valuation when Forbes did its projections in February. The Los Angeles Galaxy ($925 million) follow closely behind.

Sportico's Kurt Badenhausen detailed how the lack of promotion and relegation in MLS both help to stabilize the value of each individual club and create "its own kind of scarcity."

Elsewhere in the world, you can purchase a club in a lower league at a bargain price in the hope your investment pays off as it works its way up the pyramid. That's simply not possible in the United States because MLS is a closed league.

Broadly speaking, it will be fascinating to see how much Forbes' valuations evolve over the course of the 2023-24 season.

Even after pulling all of its economic levers, Barcelona's finances aren't much better than they were a year ago. The club has to significantly lower its payroll in order to make any new signings in the summer.

Neither Chelsea nor Tottenham Hotspur will have the riches that come with competing in the Champions League next season, which will put a dent in their bottom line.

Newcastle United, on the other hand, figures to be a big riser after securing its place in Europe's top competition. The Magpies saw their valuation increase by 51 percent to $794 million already.

Leicester City will in all likelihood miss the cut altogether after getting relegated from the Premier League. The 2015-16 champion finished 18th in the table and will be competing in the EFL Championship next year.

Financial analyst Kieran Maguire told The Athletic's Rob Tanner in March that Leicester stood to lose more than £100 million in television revenue by falling out of the top tier.

"Their commercial revenue would probably half," Maguire said. "It wouldn't have a significant impact on matchday income as they will probably have a good season and sell out, but I think they can expect a decrease in income in the region of £120 million at least. It could be more. That has to be addressed by cost control."

Buying an MLS club isn't sounding so bad.