Neville predicts ‘big summer’, as Man Utd fate mapped out in Haaland, Mbappe race
Manchester United will have to fight off strong interest from Manchester City if they are to sign Erling Haaland next summer, according to Gary Neville.
Borussia Dortmund striker Haaland has become one of Europe’s most coveted players and is still only 21. Following an incredible rise at RB Salzburg and now in Germany, his future is one of the major transfer talking points.
Haaland’s contract expires in 2024, but talk of a move away from Dortmund before then is growing. In fact, the Bundesliga club are reportedly trying to convince him to stay until 2023.
His agent, though, has said that there is a “great chance” of the striker leaving in 2022. Mino Raiola added that Manchester City, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Barcelona are the main contenders for his signature.
City wanted a top striker signing last summer and went after Tottenham’s Harry Kane. However, after a drawn-out transfer saga, the England captain stayed put.
According to Neville, City will end their chase for Kane and instead Haaland’s future will become the “big story”. United have been linked with a move for the Norwegian, but Neville said that City look more likely to sign him.
“We know how desperately City wanted Harry Kane last summer,” the pundit told Sky Sports.
“That didn’t happen. I’m not sure they now would go back to Harry Kane next year just because of basically what happened. I think Haaland is going to be the big story.
“[Kylian] Mbappe, is he going to leave as well maybe from Paris Saint-Germain? That could be the one, the sort of big switch. He goes somewhere, Haaland goes somewhere.
“So it’s going to be a big summer this year in terms of transfers and I suspect City will be, not desperate for him because City don’t do desperate business.
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“They’ll be very keen to bring him and it would be another special player in the Premier League.”
Mbappe’s PSG contract expires in the summer and he had strong interest from Madrid in the summer.
Raiola talks Haaland future
Raiola told Sport1 of Haaland’s future: “He can and will take the next step.
“Bayern, Real, Barcelona, City – these are the big clubs he can go to. City have won the championship five times in recent years, significantly more than United. When we moved to Dortmund, we all knew that this step would come.”
However, City boss Pep Guardiola refused to answer a question about Raiola’s comments in his latest press conference.
He said when asked about Haaland: “Next question. Don’t ask me about that – I’m not going to answer.”
Haaland has recently returned from a hip injury and has scored four goals in three games.
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