Real Madrid waited for Kylian Mbappé for years. A patience which ended up paying off in the summer of 2024, when the Frenchman joined the Merengue free of any contract after his departure from PSG. But before this masterstroke, the club considered other options to strengthen its attack. And according to agent Federico Pastorello, one of them had a surprising name. Carlo Ancelotti had a player in mind. An experienced attacker, capable of troubleshooting immediately. But Florentino Perez has decided: no question of spending on a short-term blow when Mbappé was in the viewfinder.
The player in question? Romelu Lukaku. The Belgian's agent has just lifted the veil on this aborted track in an interview with AS. In 2023, when Madrid was looking to strengthen its offensive sector, Ancelotti would have liked to recover Lukaku. “ There was an opportunity, at a time when it was not clear where Romelu was going to go and with Ancelotti as coach“, explained Pastorello.
“They were thinking of strengthening the attack, but they were already focused on the big Mbappé move for the following year and did not want to spend money on a loan. »
Ancelotti admired Lukaku, but Madrid had a plan
The agent insisted on the esteem Ancelotti held for the Belgian. “Ancelotti would have liked that. He always held Lukaku in high regard, but unfortunately that didn't come to fruition. » Madrid management preferred to remain faithful to its strategy: wait for Mbappé, even if it means waiting one more season. Rather than spend on a loan, Real recalled Madrid Masia product Joselu. A winning bet: the Spaniard contributed to the 2023-2024 Liga-Champions League double.
Ancelotti's preference revealed: Lukaku before Mbappé
Since then, the two attackers have followed opposite trajectories. Lukaku joined Napoli where he shone last season with 14 goals and 10 assists during the victorious Serie A campaign. But a thigh injury sidelined him until 2026. For his part, Mbappé ended up joining Madrid free, scoring 44 goals in all competitions in his first season. Under Xabi Alonso this year, he already scored 14 goals in 10 matches before getting injured with France.
Pastorello's revelation illustrates Real Madrid's financial discipline. Rather than giving in to the ease of immediate reinforcement, Florentino Perez stayed focused on his ultimate objective. Lukaku could have helped out, but Mbappé was the dream. And in modern football, sometimes dreams come true. It's the game of great strategies: knowing how to wait, even when the temptation is strong.
