Mbappe Gets Early Word on Klopp's Madrid Arrival as £87m Wharton Deal Deemed Essential

Real Madrid's superstar forward Kylian Mbappe has been given the inside track on the club's managerial shake-up, learning before anyone else that Alvaro Arbeloa's time in the hot seat is coming to an end.

The French striker knows firsthand that Arbeloa will not be staying beyond this season, with Florentino Perez having personally briefed Mbappe on the decision. The Real Madrid president has made it abundantly clear who he believes should take the reins next.

Arbeloa's position has grown increasingly precarious following a damaging run of results. Since his appointment in January following Xabi Alonso's sacking after the Spanish Super Cup final loss to Barcelona, the interim boss has overseen two consecutive La Liga defeats that have left Madrid four points adrift of their rivals.

Perez has identified Jurgen Klopp as the man to restore order at the Bernabeu. The former Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund manager possesses the strong personality and authority that the Real Madrid hierarchy believes is essential for bringing discipline back to a dressing room where player power has become a problem. This very issue is understood to have been instrumental in the departures of both Carlo Ancelotti and Alonso.

Klopp's reputation for imposing a distinctive, attacking style built on high pressing and rapid counter-attacks aligns with what Perez wants to see at the club. The German coach is expected to arrive with a clear vision for how the squad should be constructed.

That vision includes a significant midfield overhaul, with Klopp convinced Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton is a must-have signing at £87m. The Real Madrid boss-in-waiting believes there is a "brain missing in the engine room" and sees Wharton as the solution. The young midfielder's ability to receive possession under pressure, execute accurate distribution, and provide defensive stability fits precisely what Klopp is searching for as he attempts to fix Real Madrid's attacking build-up problems.