Florentino Perez will continue as president of Real Madrid until 2025, as no other candidate submitted the necessary documentation in order to stand against him.
The 74-year-old has been president of Los Blancos for 18 years, split across two spells, and he has led the club to new heights in terms of their visibility and economic income, while they are the envy of all because of the 13 European Cups that will adorn the museum of the new Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, which should be ready in autumn 2022.
Football and basketball
There have been 26 trophies won by the football team during Florentino Perez‘s presidency, six less than what Santiago Bernabeu achieved during his tenure. The current Real Madrid president has seen five European Cups lifted, one less than Santiago Bernabeu. There have also been 21 trophies won by the basketball team, with the team and the academy having thrived in recent years.
Fans in the stands
The main challenge of Florentino Perez‘s next stage as Real Madrid president will be to achieve to economic stability against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. The hope is that once fans begin to return to stadiums, the roadmap will look a little clearer.
The new Bernabeu and the European Super League will be the basis of Florentino Perez‘s new Real Madrid. The Spanish businessman has publicly acknowledged that European football needs a change in order to guarantee the teams’ economic future.
Once again in the limelight
Florentino Perez understands that Real Madrid need to make a splash once again, with two names hogging the limelight: Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland. They are the modern day Galacticos of 2000, or that summer of 2009 when Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and Karim Benzema all arrived.
Mbappe and Haaland are two players that capture everybody’s attention. It sounds strange to say at a time when Zinedine Zidane‘s side are fighting to win the double, but there is a plan to bring in an influx of fresh air and young blood into the dressing room.
Mbappe first
Mbappe is the priority and, strangely enough, an easier signing to make. He continues to turn a deaf ear to the contract renewal offered to him by Paris Saint-Germain, with his current deal set to expire in 2022.
The 22-year-old wants to feel like the team’s leader, something he does not think is possible in Paris in the coming years. Real Madrid have been trying to sign Mbappe since 2017, when he made the switch from Monaco to PSG, and now Florentino Perez is awaiting a call from Qatar to say that the forward is on the market. At that moment, the Real Madrid president will make an offer to secure a signing who is destined to become one of the world’s greats.
Haaland is less clear
As for Haaland, the difficulty lies with his contractual situation and the financial strength of Borussia Dortmund, although this has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Norwegian striker joined the German club from Red Bull Salzburg in January 2020 and the idea was that he will stay until 2022.
Dortmund have not yet put a price on Haaland‘s head, but if and when they do, Real Madrid will be the first team to know. Haaland‘s agent, Mino Raiola, said that he is not for sale. We will see.
Florentino Perez is clear that Haaland fits Real Madrid‘s profile, but he is not going to jeopardise the club’s financial stability. If a bidding war commences, Los Blancos will take their name out of the race.
Alaba, Ramos, Lucas… and Zidane
There are more players in the pipeline, starting with Rennes midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, a signing that was halted due to the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, nothing has happened with the agreement to sign soon-to-be free agent David Alaba, who has not yet been announced by Real Madrid.
Meanwhile, Sergio Ramos‘ future seems further and further away from the club with each passing day. There has not been any progression made. There is no agreement with Lucas Vazquez, too, but the versatile winger’s season-ending injury has put things on hold.
A new Real Madrid is in the offing, with some big-name players set to arrive, but the future of Zinedine Zidane is the other big unknown that is yet to be resolved. Only Florentino Perez and the Frenchman know what will happen. No one else.
