Be afraid, Barcelona! Real Madrid can afford Haaland and Mbappe

While the Blaugrana are struggling to balance the books amid a bitter boardroom battle, the Blancos are eyeing a sensational double swoop

The Covid-19 crisis has already told us much about the current state of the game, and its biggest clubs.

For example, the pandemic has only widened the already deep divisions at .

Lionel Messi and his team-mates were enraged by the press coverage of their negotiations with their employers over a salary cut, with the captain going so far as to claim that information had been leaked to local journalists by senior figures within the club.

After quitting as vice-president last week, Emili Rousaud has since claimed that someone has been stealing from the treasury, meaning an increasingly bitter boardroom battle could soon end up in the courts.

By complete contrast, have managed the crisis with impressive serenity.

Despite some initial reluctance to agree to a pay cut, as so eloquently articulated by midfielder Toni Kroos, Real's football and basketball squads ultimately agreed to wage reductions of between 10 and 20 per cent.

As well as guaranteeing non-playing staff would continue to be paid, the agreement should also save Madrid approximately €50 million (£43.5m/$54.4m) during the greatest financial crisis ever to hit the game.

Of course, Barca's players eventually accepted a 70% cut but, tellingly, such a drastic reduction was not required at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Madrid have the second-highest wage bill in world football but it accounts for 'only' 52% of the club's annual budget – which puts the Blancos well inside the sub-70% figure recommended by the European Club Association (ECA).

At Camp Nou, though, a whopping 61% of Barca's expected €1.047 billion (£866m/$1bn) income for 2019-2020 was going on salaries - €639m (£553m/$689m).

Even with the wage cut, Barca still have numerous financial issues to address, primarily the need to raise €54m (£47m/$58m) in player sales just to meet this season's budget.

As it stands, Barca have just €29m (£25m/$31m) set aside for this summer's transfer window; Madrid have €100m (£87m/$108m) tucked away – and that's before they start raising funds by offloading unwanted talent – of which Real have an abundance.

So, while Barca, who topped this year's Deloitte Football Money League, don't presently have enough money to sign either of their primary transfer targets, Lautaro Martinez and Neymar, their great rivals are cautiously optimistic about bringing both Erling Braut Haaland and Kylian Mbappe to the Bernabeu over the course of the next 12 months.

According to Marca , Madrid plan to swoop for Haaland as soon as the market reopens.

The Norwegian only joined in January but has a clause in his contract that means he will be available this summer for €75m (£65.2m/$81.5m) – a hugely attractive price for a teenager who has been breaking goalscoring records on a near-weekly basis.

Madrid, of course, are particularly keen on Haaland. Firstly, club president Florentino Perez is renowned for his love of a Galactico – and the 19-year-old is the game's newest and most exciting striking sensation.

Secondly, Madrid need goals – and Haaland virtually guarantees them.

Karim Benzema may have recently agreed a contract extension until 2022 having done a fine job trying to fill the void left by Cristiano Ronaldo in 2018, but the Frenchman will be 33 before the year is out.

A replacement is required – and Luka Jovic does not look up to the challenge.

Bought from last summer for €60m (£52.2m/$65.2m) and to much fanfare, the striker has endured a disastrous debut season in .

Indeed, it's hard to know how it could have gone much worse. Before the pandemic-enforced suspension of play, he had scored just two goals in all competitions. Then, to make matters far worse, he broke Covid-19 quarantine protocol at Madrid by leaving Spain to return to his native .

According to AS , Madrid are not yet ready to cut their losses on Jovic but there is nonetheless a desire to bring in another centre-forward, particularly as Mariano Diaz is almost 100 per cent certain to be sold whenever the transfer market reopens.

The former attacker may have netted a killer second goal in the March 1 Clasico win over Barcelona but his second stint at the Bernabeu has, for the most part, been as uneventful as his first.

As many predicted, he wasn't the right man to assume Ronaldo's No.7 shirt. There is, however, still plenty of time for Brazilian teenagers Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior to prove their worth at the Bernabeu but there will be another attempt to push Gareth Bale out of the door.

Zinedine Zidane failed to offload the Welsh winger last summer but it's unlikely that Perez will block any effort to do so this year.

Bale represents a significant strain on the wage bill and Madrid will be determined to sell him while he still has two years left on his £350,000-per-week contract in order to secure as big a transfer fee as possible for a talented but injury-prone player.

Mbappe obviously represents the ideal replacement, with Perez describing the Frenchman as having been "born to play for Real Madrid".

However, the fans are likely to have to wait a little longer for the arrival of a player that has also spoken openly of his affection for the Blancos.

Mbappe's price tag is presently prohibitive. After all, will be determined to at least make a profit on a player they signed for €180m (£157m/$196m) three years ago. His standing within the game has only increased in the interim.

However, Mbappe has just two years left on his contract and we are now entering a period of unprecedented financial uncertainty caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The effect that crisis will have on the market is not yet known. Even Mbappe's value could drop, even if insider experts have told Goal that they fully expect fees to return to ridiculously high levels almost right away.

Regardless, Real hope that the international declines any offer of an extension, thus making Mbappe more affordable next year anyway, given he will have entered the final 12 months of his deal at the Parc des Princes.

Real are also reluctant to push the transfer, so as to avoid upsetting PSG. Unlike Barcelona, the Blancos enjoy a cordial working relationship with the champions; they do not want to jeopardise it ahead of any potential negotiations over Mbappe moving to Madrid.

For now, then, the focus will be on raising funds. As well as Mariano, loanees Dani Ceballos, Jorge de Frutos, Javi Sanchez, Oscar Rodriguez, Borja Mayoral, Luca Zidane and Jesus Vallejo are all likely to move on this summer.

However, there should also be some high-profile departures, chief among them 2018 Ballon d'Or winner Luka Modric, who is entering the final year of his contract and no longer considered a certain starter.

James Rodriguez has long been deemed surplus to requirements and Madrid will do what they can to recoup at least half of the €80m (£70m/$87m) they paid for the Colombian attacking midfielder in 2014.

Marcelo has proven a fantastic servant to the club but, given Sergio Reguilon's likely return from a loan spell at , the Brazilian left-back would be allowed to leave for the right price, and the same goes for Isco, even though he was in fine form before the break, Lucas Vazquez and Nacho.

Madrid would also listen to offers for 2019 summer signing Eder Militao, particularly if a deal can be done with for centre-half Dayot Upamecano.

A decision also needs to be made on whether to recall Achraf Hakimi or cash in on a versatile full-back whose value has soared during a hugely successful two-year loan spell at Borussia Dortmund.

Madrid are likely to be well stocked in midfield, particularly as Donny van de Beek is set to join from and Reinier could be promoted from the second team.

However, much will depend on who is sold - and for how much.

Regardless, Real are in sound financial shape in what is proving a testing time for most of their rivals.

Signing both Haaland and Mbappe in the next 12 months may sound like a pipe dream but it's a very real prospect for Madrid. And a potential nightmare for Barcelona.

Additional reporting by Francisco Rico Lozano