Dortmund issue ominous warning to two remaining Erling Haaland suitors
Borussia Dortmund have issued an ominous warning to suitors of Erling Haaland and said he is going nowhere this summer.
Haaland is a man in demand. His goals over the last few seasons have placed him at the top of just about every big club in Europe. His progress shows no signs of slowly down after blasting 37 goals and grabbing 11 assists in 38 games this season. Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich have all got an interest in the young forward.
But Dortmund remain cool about the 20-year-old’s future, just as they did last season with Jadon Sancho.
Man Utd pursued the England winger all last summer, but they refused to meet BVB’s deadline and after that the German club’s door remained firmly shut. And just as they were sure last summer that Sancho would not leave they have made the same statement about Haaland.
When SportBild via Sport Witness asked how many clubs can afford the Norwegian, BVB CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke said: “Your assumption is fundamentally wrong: Because there are no conditions from us.
“I have the clear expectation Erling Haaland will still play for us next season. And I don’t worry about anything else.”
Watzke then implicated that only two clubs are seriously in the hunt for the striker, LaLiga duo Real Madrid and Barcelona.
“I suspect they [Real Madrid and Barcelona] also know about the contractual situation and our attitude. I’m really completely relaxed here. With Jadon Sancho, nobody believed us until deadline day last summer that he would stay – and he is still here today.”
Just what Man Utd’s stance on Haaland is remains unclear.
The re-signing of Edinson Cavani may well have changed their summer priorities.
Reliable German outlet BILD say with Cavani’s future resolved, Ole Gunnar Solksjaer in fact wants a deal for the England international Sancho done imminently.
The commitment of Cavani to a new 12-month contract is understood to mean a move for Haaland is off the table this summer. The Sun report it will be “increasingly difficult” to get Haaland now. Instead United will go back in for Borussia Dortmund star Sancho.
Subscribe for free to TEAMtalk’s daily newsletter…
Bayern out of the running for Haaland
Meanwhile, Bayern Munich CEO Oliver Kahn has ruled out a move for Haaland, at least for the time being.
Bayern have been linked with the former RB Salzburg man, although reports have claimed Haaland is beyond their means.
Chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge recently cooled the talk and pointed to Bayern’s own No.9 Robert Lewandowski.
He told Bild in March: “I don’t know where the rumours come from. I can only say one thing: we have the world leading footballer in this position. Robert Lewandowski has a contract until 2023.”
Bayern are not going for Erling Haaland this summer.
Oliver Kahn confirms to Bild: “A package that costs over €100M is unimaginable for us now. We’ve Lewandowski, he has a 2-years contract here. Just for that, we don’t have to think about Haaland today”. #Bayern @imiasanmia
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 12, 2021
Now Khan has killed the talk due to the money involved and the existing contract of Lewandowski.
“Sorry, whoever speaks about that didn’t understand the situation yet,” Kahn told Sport Bild. “A package that costs — as we heard — over €100m is unimaginable for FC Bayern at the moment.”
“Robert still has a two-year contract here,” added Kahn. “His performances cannot be questioned. He’s scored 39 goals so far! Just for that, we don’t have to think about Haaland, today. Robert can keep this level for a few more years.”
READ MORE: Mourinho rivals Man Utd with Roma in race for £45m defensive target
The post Dortmund issue ominous warning to two remaining Erling Haaland suitors appeared first on TEAMtalk.