Real Madrid were surprised when they received the first call from Kylian Mbappe's entourage at the end of last summer. Although it may sound like a bad joke, it was real.

The player later regretted choosing to extend his contract with Paris Saint-Germain. He wanted to express his desire to join Los Blancos and find out if they were still interested in signing him after giving the proper justifications for his change of heart in May and why he declined their offer following weeks of contract negotiations.

Real Madrid did not express excessive interest or close the door. They are aware that Mbappe is the best forward in the world and by 2024, they will need to find someone to take Karim Benzema's place.

He was informed, though, that if this operation were to be reactivated, it would need to be approached very differently. Mbappe would need to put in a lot more effort and lower his expectations overall, not just in financial matters.

Real Madrid is also keeping an eye on the situation with Erling Haaland. A clause in his contract allows Los Blancos to sign the international from Norway for 200 million euros in 2024.

Since the Frenchman first approached Real Madrid, a number of events have taken place. Mbappe does not appear eager to make use of the clause that would extend his PSG contract until 2025. This indicates that he will inform PSG this summer of his intentions.

He should inform his decision to the club before June 30. Then, he will urge the club to put him up for sale in order to avoid losing him on free in 2024. It is the same situation as two years ago, when PSG turned down Real Madrid's three offers to sign Mbappe.

In the meantime, PSG have failed in the Champions League and Mbappe understands that he has yet to play a major role in the competition. In any case, Mbappe will need to convince PSG to sell him at a specific price, because Real Madrid are not willing to negotiate with Nasser Al-Khelaifi.

Benzema, meanwhile, is having a miserable season that has been plagued by as many as seven injuries. Real Madrid may decide to make a move for a top-class striker if they fail to win any significant trophies this year and Benzema continues to have injury problems.