Real Madrid reportedly have Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe in their crosshairs as they have made room in their budget to sign a ‘galactico’.

The Spanish giants have a potential budget reaching up to £342 million if reputable Spanish sports newspaper Diario AS are to be believed.

That includes a solid £111m in the bank and up to £231m in credit policies for which financing has already been found and can be approved.

The most expensive transfer in football history remains Neymar’s 2017 switch from Barcelona to PSG, which cost a whopping £198million.

Los Blancos have also cleared space in their wage bill to accommodate five or six seasons’ worth of a superstar being on the books as their salary expenses have decreased.

Erling Haaland is on Real Madrid’s horizon as they have a reported transfer war chest of up to £342m – with £111m in the bank

Kylian Mbappe, a long-documented target, is also in their sights as they have reduced their wage bill

Diario AS claim that their £284m yearly wage bill is £68m less than it was in the summer of 2022, while their total income has increased by 17%.

Moving on elder statesmen such as Karim Benzema and Eden Hazard has no doubt helped in slashing the salary expenditure.

Whether or not they will land ambitious targets of Haaland or Mbappe’s ilk, however, is a question that relates to more than just cold, hard cash.

A freshly renovated Santiago Bernabeu is part of the club’s international posturing to position themselves ahead of nouveau riche Saudi Arabian and Qatari-owned clubs – as well as being its own income driver.

Jude Bellingham revealed that the club’s prestige, built on 14 Champions League wins and a record 35 La Liga titles, was a strong factor in why he joined the club in the summer – even if he would have earned more at Manchester City.

Mbappe could be available for free in the summer if he does not sign a new contract with PSG.

Jude Bellingham cited the grandeur of the club as a reason why he signed over the summer

A newly renovated Santiago Bernabeu is onyl of the club’s pulling factors in the modern age

He recently claimed that his future at PSG ‘will be resolved one day’, letting a chink of light into the club’s hopes of keeping him after he told them he would not renew his contract in the summer.

Mbappe’s ostensible intention has been to run down his PSG deal and depart for Madrid on a free, something chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi called ‘impossible’ as he threatened to sell him to the highest bidder.

The 24-year-old does have a contractual option to extend his stay at PSG until 2025, a clause only he can activate.

He has reportedly agreed to forego £70m in bonuses to be reintegrated into the team after his summer saga.

Real Madrid nearly bought him for £140m in 2021 and could have had him for free in 2022 had he not signed a renewal until 2024.

As for Haaland, he is always going to attract envious glances when he is Europs’ most prolific striker.

The departure of highly paid players such as Karim Benzema has helped slash the wage bill

Eden Hazard was also one of the club’s highest earners despite his struggles with them

His contract at the Etihad Stadium lasts until 2027 but he will reportedly have a release clause of £172m next summer and £150m in 2025.

The appeal of playing under Pep Guardiola and in a Treble-winning, multi-record-breaking team that his father used to play for are likely powerful persuasions to stay put in Manchester.

However, with 115 charges of alleged financial rule breaches hanging over them, City’s position in world football could be subject to change in forthcoming years.

Whatever they do with their swirling pot of euros, Madrid hope to greet a bold new era in their history with the names to match.