What will Real Madrid’s lineup for the new season look like? (Picture: Getty; Metro.co.uk)

After months of speculation, it looks like one of the biggest sagas of the whole summer may finally be nearing its conclusion, with 18-year-old wonderkid Kylian Mbappe set to smash the world transfer record with a £161million move to Real Madrid.

The Spanish giants are no strangers to record-shattering deals and Galactico purchases, having twice broken the world transfer record in the last decade, and with three of their signings making it into the current top ten most expensive in history.

While Mbappe’s big-money move at his age and this stage of his career is astonishing enough, the end to this protracted saga may not necessarily mean the end of this summer’s most high-profile deals.

Kylian Mbappe could be on his way to Real Madrid (Picture: Getty)

The Frenchman’s arrival at the Bernabeu will undoubtedly send shockwaves around Europe, but it could also impact on the futures of some big names in Madrid, and perhaps at Monaco.

Here’s our take on players whose futures will be in focus again if this move goes through…

Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo’s role may be unclear ahead of the new season (Picture: Getty)

Linked with Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain earlier in the summer, Cristiano Ronaldo surely remains an indispensable part of Zinedine Zidane’s side.

The player himself has said he’s preparing for another season at the Bernabeu, while his manager has insisted he’s not for sale.

Still, having moved into a more central role last season and finding himself rested more often than previously, Ronaldo’s role in Zidane’s side for the new season is by no means certain.

At £161m, Mbappe is clearly not moving to Real to warm the bench, so will he be claiming that centre-forward spot for himself, rotating with Ronaldo, or can they somehow fit into the same side together?

Ronaldo is bound to be seen as an important mentor for the youngster as he will surely be the Portuguese’s long-term replacement in the side, but Zidane will have to contest with club politics and some big egos in a bid to make it work.

Gareth Bale

Gareth Bale’s place is surely under threat from Kylian Mbappe (Picture: Getty)

With Real Madrid largely playing a 4-3-3 last season, a new signing in that front three means trouble for any of its other current members, with Gareth Bale looking particularly vulnerable.

Bale Real Madrid snap shot

150 games
67 goals
8 trophies

The Wales international wasn’t at his best last term as he struggled with injuries and failed to get into his groove, and it has been speculated that he could become available if Real succeeded in landing Mbappe.

Manchester United would surely be at the front of the queue to bring the former Tottenham man back to the Premier League, though Bale himself has long stressed his commitment to the Spanish giants after a trophy-laden start to life in Madrid.

With Ronaldo ageing and likely to be in and out of the starting XI even more than last season, will Bale fancy his chances of getting a reasonable amount of minutes even with the new addition?

Karim Benzema

Karim Benzema has seen off a number of other strikers at the Bernabeu (Picture: Getty)

Despite such a high turnover of players at Real Madrid, Karim Benzema is somewhat incredibly heading into his 9th season at the club.

And in that time, the 29-year-old has seen off some big-name competitors up front such as Raul, Gonzalo Higuain, Javier Hernandez, and most recently Alvaro Morata.

One expects Mbappe will prove a harder name to keep out of the side, and Benzema won’t find himself short of suitors all around Europe and perhaps especially in the Premier League after years of speculation linking him with big clubs on these shores.

Zinedine Zidane has some thinking to do (Picture: Getty)

Still, the Frenchman has also shown some ability in a supporting role out wide, and it is precisely his unselfishness and work rate that has kept him as a key part of various Madrid sides down the years, perhaps making him the ideal team-mate to help Mbappe shine, wherever he and Ronaldo end up being used.

Thomas Lemar

Will Thomas Lemar follow Kylian Mbappe out of Monaco? (Picture: Getty)

Arsenal will no doubt be looking at this potential Mbappe deal with some interest, and not just because they chased the player themselves this summer.

Having given up on the teenager some time ago, the Gunners opted to sign Alexandre Lacazette to solve their problems up front, and are now looking at his Monaco team-mate Thomas Lemar.

Still, Lemar’s future could go either way after this deal – Monaco may decide, after selling him, Tiemoue Bakayoko, Bernardo Silva and Benjamin Mendy, that they can’t possibly let another important player like Lemar go.

Monaco major sales 2017/18

Bernardo Silva (£43m, to Manchester City)

Tiemoue Bakayoko – (£40m, to Chelsea)

Benjamin Mendy (£52m, to Manchester City)

TOTAL: £135m

And yet, the player himself may feel he has little reason to stick around with so many of his team-mates being offloaded and leaving the club significantly weaker than when they won the title last season. Arsenal, too, will have reason to believe Monaco can be persuaded to sell as long as the right offer comes along.

It has been speculated that Lemar could cost as much as £80m, but latest reports suggest some breakthrough has been made over securing him for a bargain £45m.

Marco Asensio

Marco Asensio showed plenty of promise last season (Picture: Getty)

A hugely promising young player who made great progress in Real Madrid’s first-team last season, Marco Asensio may now be justified in thinking about his future this summer.

The likes of Liverpool have been linked with an interest in the 21-year-old winger, though he did only recently sign a new contract with Los Blancos.

Will Real now consider letting him go for the right price, or perhaps out on loan to ensure he plays enough next season? He’ll be one worth keeping an eye on, that’s for sure.

Lucas Vazquez

Lucas Vazquez will struggle to get into this Real Madrid side now (Picture: Getty)

Despite playing 50 matches last season, one would have to think Lucas Vazquez is an obvious name to make way if Real need to raise any funds from player sales this summer.

The 26-year-old was rumoured to have told Madrid he’d move on if Mbappe arrived, and in the last few days there has been growing speculation of interest from the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal.

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