Macron determinant
Everything was planned down to the millimeter to crown Kylian Mbappe as the league’s king. The deal with the player was sealed, and pressure from Paris Saint-Germain did not even dent the striker who dreamed of wearing white. Louis Fields, together with the club’s talent scout and the man Madrid placed in contact with Mbappe in the operation, Zinedine Zidane, had been flawless in their approach.
Until the signature becomes a matter of state. An unexpected appearance by Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, changed the landscape entirely. The president himself urged Mbappe to stay in France, speaking candidly and bluntly. It is the duty of a president to defend his country, he said, and the moment called for loyalty to French football.
The adventure continued…
The message echoed through the social feeds and media rounds of the time, signaling a pivotal moment in European football.
– Mbappe confirmed via a public post that the discussion was far from over and that commitments were still being negotiated.
Nasser Al-Khelaifi seized the moment to up his bid, offering Mbappe more money and influence over the club’s sporting decisions. Hours after the club’s sporting director announced Mbappe would stay in Paris, Leonard was dismissed. The next coach would be Mauricio Pochettino. Meanwhile, Louis Fields, Mbappe’s long-time connector with Madrid, became the club’s sporting director. Zidane’s arrival on the bench at Real Madrid would come later, months down the line. Qatar’s backing would later be part of Didier Deschamps’s broader football tapestry as well.
Real Madrid reacted swiftly. The capital club’s plans shifted into overdrive as Florentino Pérez outlined a strategic coup that married political flair with footballing ambition. He secured the two autographs needed to stabilize the team defensively: a physical defender and a strong midfielder. Antonio Rudiger and Aurélien Tchouaméni were identified as anchors for Madrid’s renewed project. Tchouaméni became the league’s priciest signing with a base fee of 80 million plus potential bonuses.
In truth, the summer window served to streamline Madrid’s squad, lightening the wage mass by parting ways with marquee earners who no longer fit the plan. Gareth Bale, Marcelo, and Isco departed to honor their contracts, while the team faced the difficult exit of teammates still tied to substantial salaries. Luka Jović eventually moved on to Fiorentina, and a wave of cantera players—Borja Mayor, Takefusa Kubo, Víctor Chust, and Miguel Gutiérrez—gathered new opportunities. The vault still held just over 20 million for future moves.
Welcome home.
#LAFC | @LAFC3252
– LAFC announced a new chapter with a timely post in July 2022, signaling the ongoing evolution of players and clubs across the world.
Carlo Ancelotti evaluated the post-Bale era carefully, noting the team’s improved overall quality. The coach highlighted the addition of new players who increased both physical presence and technical skill. The chemistry between veterans and youth was cited as a key to last season’s success, with the squad poised to go further as familiarity grew. Rudiger and Tchouaméni added tangible quality and athleticism to the engine room, enhancing Madrid’s balance between defense and midfield control.
Second-row targets
Madrid faced a pressing issue: the forward line required reinforcement after Karim Benzema’s sustained excellence. The club could not sway Borja Mayor to stay as an alternative to the French star, prompting a shift toward internal development and minutes rather than a bold external gamble. With three prominent attackers delivering consistent contributions last season, Carletto pressed for continued scoring from Vinícius Jr., Marco Asensio, and Rodrygo Goes, ensuring the attack remained potent while new midfield balance was cemented.
Yet Madrid’s core strength remained the midfield. The legendary trio of Kroos, Casemiro, and Modrić formed the backbone, later nicknamed the “Bermuda Triangle” for their seamless cohesion. The strategy behind Madrid’s sustained success over the past decade hinged on this trio’s ball control, smart distribution, and well-timed counterattacks. Ancelotti also sought youth reinforcement with Camavinga, Tchouaméni, and Dani Ceballos stepping into more influential roles alongside Modrić. Federico Valverde’s all-around box-to-box presence gave Madrid the flexibility to morph formations—shifting from a 4-3-3 to a 4-4-2 as needed to cover the field.
As for infrastructure, Real Madrid’s grand Santiago Bernabéu project remained central. Works planned to finish by year-end 2022 aligned with the club’s long-term calendar, underscoring a homegrown ambition that would reach full speed in the 2023 season and beyond. Pérez’s meticulous planning aimed to usher in a new era with a spectacular signing to inaugurate the refreshed stage and extend the club’s dominance.