Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland is said to have decided that Real Madrid would be his preference if he were to move on this summer, although it would not be an easy transfer.
Haaland has become the most sought after striker in the world in the last 12 months. The 20-year-old Norwegian has scored 33 goals in 31 games for Dortmund in all competitions this season, except for the 44 in 44 he scored for Red Bull Salzburg and Dortmund together last season.
Haaland has scored 75 club goals since the start of the 2019/20 season | Lars Baron / Getty Images
Haaland, who was poached by Dortmund for just € 20 million in January 2020, has a € 75 million release clause in his contract that will not become active until the summer of 2022. This means that until then there is no cap on the potential price that Dortmund can ask for.
Reports of Dortmund’s price tag for Haaland range from € 150 million (€ 128 million) to € 180 million (€ 153 million), making him one of the most expensive players of all time.
Despite Manchester City’s determination to sign a new striker and confidence that they would be favorites to land Haaland, manager Pep Guardiola admitted on Friday that that kind of number involved would prevent City from making a deal in the midst of the financial downturn from coronavirus crisis.
“I do not know what will happen but at these prices we will not buy a striker. It is impossible. We can not afford it, admitted the mayor.
Erling Haaland is a goal machine. ? pic.twitter.com/2kzXNDdesh
– 90min (@ 90min_Football) April 2, 2021
Father Alf-Inge Haaland and agent Mino Raiola have been in Spain this week for talks with Barcelona and Real. AS claims that it was during the discussions with the latter that Alf-Inge made it clear to the senior official at the Bernabeu Jose Angel Sanchez that the preference is to join Los Blancos.
In the past, Raiola has even said that it is his personal dream to convey a high profile transfer for one of his customers to Real. Until Haaland arrived, it was assumed that it would probably be Paul Pogba.
It is said that the problem for Real is still the asking price from Dortmund. Despite Raiola’s personal ambitions around the club, there is also a suggestion that Real will refuse to engage in the agent’s preference to trigger a bidding war between a number of top clubs.
Agent Mino Raiola rumored to want a bidding war for Haaland Stefano Guidi / Getty Images
Real would also not start a formal quest for Haaland or start talks with Dortmund until he gives the Bundesliga’s formal indication that he wants to leave the club.
Dortmund must play a careful game. If they exceed their requirements, they could stop pricing potential buyers out of a deal and would have to accept a non-negotiable and much lower ceiling price next summer. However, holding Haaland for another year may still be worth the difference between a potential payday of € 150 million and the € 75 million he would go for in 2022.
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