Since Mbappe is expected to remain at PSG for at least another year, Real Madrid may need to search elsewhere to fill their need.

Real Madrid was hoping to lure Kylian Mbappe, the captain of the French national team, to the Santiago Bernabeu at a reduced price by making a last-minute offer after hearing of his impending exile this summer. They reckoned Mbappe would patiently await his transfer to Real Madrid.
Instead, the striker has agreed in principle to remain in Paris for at least another year. It's unclear what the winger will give up in exchange for staying at PSG, but it seems certain that PSG will get a fair transfer price for him next summer when he eventually goes. This is a tremendous act of kindness for a player who has held his club prisoner for six years.

Meanwhile, Madrid is in a difficult position. Even though they scored twice in their season opener against Athletic Club, scoring opportunities were few. As would have been imagined, they were seriously deficient in a primary striking presence. Mbappé was expected to go into that role in 2023–24. However, Madrid now only has 33-year-old Joselu to choose from as a striker, which doesn't bode well for a team aiming to win the league.

Randal Kolo Muani (Frankfurt)

Buying this would be intriguing for a number of reasons. To begin, Randal Kolo Muani's offensive variety would be a huge boost for Madrid. Unlike a certain Karim Benzema, he is not a deep-lying striker, but he is a consistent enough passer and link-up player to be a focal point. Even more importantly for Vinicius Jr, he has worked efficiently with fast strikers who like to go in behind when playing with Mbappe for France's national team. The addition of his 15 goals scored in the Bundesliga last season makes him a complete attacker.

Kolo Muani is one of PSG's top targets, so that's an extra advantage. Instead of signing him this summer, the Parisians brought in Gonaclo Ramos. Mbappe may still want him at Parc des Princes, but it's becoming less and less likely that he'll end up there. The transfer market can be a very petty place, and Madrid is no exception. Taking PSG's best player away from them might give them a sense of pleasure.

Romelu Lukaku (Inter)

Perhaps Romelu Lukaku should have decided where he'll play next by now. The striker's decision to initiate personal discussions with Juventus just as he was on the brink of finalizing a move to his previous club, Inter, did not go down well with anybody involved in the transfer. Chelsea's asking price of €50 million (£43m/$55m) has so far prevented that transfer from happening to the Bianconeri.

This creates an opening that Madrid may exploit. Earlier this summer, the Belgian was briefly linked to Los Blancos after being placed on their shortlist to replace Benzema. With rumors of a transfer to Tottenham FC having been debunked, this may be a good time to pounce.

However, he may not be the most natural match. Lukaku, who normally performs better in a two-striker system, isn't the playmaking forward Real Madrid covets. It would be a terrible waste of his abilities to force him to play with his back to the goal. There's still room for Carlo Ancelotti's touch.

Dusan Vlahovic (Juventus)

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Dusan Vlahovic's tenure at Juventus has been a frustrating failure. After leaving Fiorentina for €70 million (£61 million/$75 million) in January 2022, the Serbian has managed only 17 goals in 42 outings. A skilled player, though, must be lurking somewhere.

In this light, the idea that a 23-year-old needs a change of environment in order to start banging appears implausible. However, that might be the case here. When at his best, Vlahovic excels at playing in the center of the attack and scoring goals. He had a good shot of succeeding with Vinicius and Rodyrgo by his side, opening him opportunities after opportunities.

However, the cost might be prohibitive. Juve has rejected Chelsea's player-plus-cash offers for Lukaku on many occasions, and if they decide to sell, they will want a substantial return on their investment. Their financial position may force him to leave.

Victor Osimhen (Napoli)

For Napoli, who fought their way to Serie A and won the Scudetto in a historic season, striker Victor Osimhen was perhaps the finest in Europe. The Nigerian striker has 26 league goals and 5 Champions League goals. It would be exceedingly tough to make this happen, especially considering that he is still just 23 years old and has plenty of room for improvement.

However, it would be a fantastic bonus. Over the course of the previous campaign, Osimhen developed into a more complete offensive force, contributing as a useful facilitator and connecting well with Napoli's quick wingers. Although Kvara Kvaratskhelia received more attention, Osimhen's five assists should not be overlooked. All of this adds up to a guy who Madrid would be crazy to sign. But whether or whether they can pay him is another story. Think twice about it, particularly given that he is on the verge of signing a new deal.

Anthony Martial (Manchester United)

Here's a player who may be much less difficult to sign. Manchester United are likely eager to part ways with Anthony Martial now that they have Rasmus Hojlund on the roster. Martial has become a surplus player at Old Trafford. The Frenchman was loaned out in the spring of 2022, had little action last season, and doesn't seem like he's done much to earn a spot on the roster this year.

He plays in a weird position and, at 27, hasn't yet figured out where he fits in best. He was fantastic for stretches of time while coming from the left side, but has been abused when deployed in the center. Even so, he may learn to adapt. Martial possesses the speed and stamina to keep up with Madrid's lightning-quick forwards on the break. Should Martial's health troubles not rear their ugly head again, he may be useful if Los Blancos decide to alter things up and go with a more fluid front three.

The low cost is an added bonus. United paid an eye-popping £58m ($72m) to acquire him in 2015, but with only one year remaining on his contract, they will be hard to recoup even half of that. Ancelotti like a good makeover very much.

Benjamin Sesko (RB Leipzig)

When Red Bull Salzburg placed Sesko up for sale in July 2022, Madrid was one of the teams who expressed interest in acquiring his services. The striker, though, signed with Leipzig and spent a year in Austria on loan before making his way to the Bundesliga. The additional year in Salzburg seems to have been as fruitful as hoped. With 16 goals and four assists, he led his Bundesliga team to their third consecutive victory.

And now it seems he's prepared to go to the next level. Of course, Leipzig wouldn't want to let go of a player who they can put to good use for the next two years before switching him to a top team in need of a striker. But Madrid might play it safe and wait till later to use that shortcut. It would make sense for Sesko to transfer to the Spanish capital if he is assured regular playing time and can fulfill his potential as a top-class attacking threat.