Real Madrid already secured the blockbuster transfer of the summer 2024 window, finally bringing Kylian Mbappe to the Santiago Bernabeu to end a transfer saga that took longer than three years to finish.
Mbappe joins Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior as three Real Madrid superstars who figure to be in the Ballon d’Or battle every single season, whereas Barcelona are still hunting for a true attacking superstar besides breakout teenager Lamine Yamal.
Real Madrid and Barcelona have been on the opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of financial management and sustainability, and that has been reflected in their divergent paths of Champions League success since the decline of the Xavi and Andres Iniesta axis.
As ESPN FC point out, while Kylian Mbappe has turned heads by leapfrogging Bellingham and Vinicius Jr., who had better 2023/24 seasons, as Real Madrid’s highest-paid player, the Frenchman will still make less money than two Barcelona stars.
Mbappe has a 31.25 million euro annual salary from Real Madrid, while Barcelona are paying an over-the-hill Robert Lewandowski 33.33 million Frenkie de Jong a ridiculous 37.50 million in midfield.
De Jong and Lewandowski are both key players for Barcelona, but they have both been mired in transfer rumors and may have been sold if new manager Hansi Flick gave the club the green light to do so.
Lewandowski has been a target of criticism for his inconsistent displays and is dragging down the team’s ability to spend on star attacking talent for the future. Meanwhile, de Jong is a good player but was woeful in 2023/24 without Sergio Busquets and is one of the most overpaid players in world football.
Comparing Mbappe’s newly-minted salary to these two makes him seem like a bargain and serves as a reminder that there are levels between how Real Madrid and Barcelona have been managed lately.
Unfortunately for Barca fans, it doesn’t look like things are going to change for the better under new sporting director Deco, whose 2024 summer transfer business has been plodding at best.
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Source: USA Today
