Real Madrid are reportedly planning a big-money double swoop to sign both Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham and Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe this summer.
Bellingham is one of the most sought-after midfielders in Europe ahead of the 2023-24 season and has been heavily linked with a move to the Santiago Bernabeu.
The 19-year-old has developed into a star player for Dortmund over the last three seasons, scoring 23 goals and providing 25 assists in 131 appearances across all competitions, including 13 goals and seven assists in 41 games this term.
A recent report claims that Los Blancos are close to reaching an agreement to sign Bellingham, which could see them pay an initial €100m (£88.3m) plus €20m (£17.4m) in add-ons.
The midfielder could allegedly earn in excess of £360,000 per week should he agree to join Real Madrid, which would make him the second-highest earner at the Bernabeu behind Eden Hazard.
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Manchester City have also been tipped to sign the England international, although it is understood that the Premier League leaders are now resigned to losing out to Los Blancos in the race for his signature.
Dortmund head coach Edin Terzic recently played down rumours that Bellingham has agreed to join another club, but it is widely expected that the midfielder will depart the German club this summer and he is understood to have already rejected a new contract to remain at Westfalenstadion.
Even though Real Madrid would be required to invest heavily in a deal to lure Bellingham to the Spanish capital, The Telegraph reports that they are also looking to revive their interest in PSG star Mbappe.
The report adds that Carlo Ancelotti's side will 'look to exploit the uncertainty' at the Parc des Princes this summer and will explore the possibility of completing a world-record deal to recruit the 24-year-old Frenchman.
Real Madrid's hierarchy are said to have discussed the possibility of signing both Bellingham and Mbappe in the same transfer window as part of creating a new 'Galacticos' team that they hope can dominate European football in years to come.
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Mbappe appeared to be close to finalising a move to the Bernabeu last summer, before he decided to pen fresh terms on a new contract at PSG, keeping him tied to the French giants until 2024 with an option to extend by a further 12 months.
PSG are determined to keep hold of Mbappe and regard the Frenchman as their talisman for both the present and the future, while both Lionel Messi and Neymar are facing uncertain futures at the club – the former of whom is expected to leave at the end of the season when his contract expires.
Although PSG are prepared to build a new, younger-looking team around Mbappe this summer, the Ligue 1 champions may be forced to cash in on their star man who will soon enter the final year of his contract.
Mbappe has developed into one of the world's best players during his time at the Parc des Princes and he is PSG's all-time record goalscorer with 207 goals in 256 appearances across all tournaments.
The 2018 World Cup champion has won four Ligue 1 titles with PSG, but he is yet to get his hands on the Champions League, a competition that Real Madrid are seeking to win for a record-extending 15th time this season.
Oliver Thomas
