Dortmund to raise Haaland release clause amid Real Madrid links

Erling Haaland is one of the most coveted players in world football after a stunning start to his Bundesliga career at Borussia Dortmund. Haaland has been worth a goal a game since signing for Dortmund from Red Bull Salzburg, bagging 62 in 62 appearances. So far this season he has five in three games and had a hand in all five goals as Dortmund beat Frankfurt 5-2 last weekend. These are the kind of statistics that have had Europe’s big spenders on the edge of their seats for over a year now and Haaland’s current employers are aware that it will be increasingly difficult to retain the Norway international if he keeps banging them in at such an astonishing rate.

Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Juventus are the current front-runners for Haaland’s signature in a year’s time, when the forward has an agreement with Dortmund to activate a clause in his contract allowing him to leave before his current deal expires in 2024.

Dortmund determined to reap the rewards of Haaland's rise

All of Haaland’s suitors are aware it will not be cheap to sign the prolific forward but Dortmund understandably want to ensure maximum profit from their prized asset. As such, the Bundesliga side intend to raise Haaland’s minimum release clause from €75m to €90m based on performances this season. The club have already agreed this move with Haaland’s father, Alf-Inge, and agent Mino Raiola, according to German media outlet Sport 1.

Real Madrid have been busy trying to ensure they have sufficient funds to be in the race for Haaland and will now have to find a away to further trim their costs ahead of a potential bidding war next summer, not least if they intend to try and sign both Haaland and Kylian Mbappé in the same window.

More than anything, Dortmund are eager to put Bayern Munich off their pursuit of Haaland. The Bavarian giants have made it club policy to snap up the best talent from other sides in the Bundesliga, simultaneously strengthening their own hand while depleting their rivals. Having watched Robert Lewandowski fire Bayern to the last seven Bundesliga titles after the Poland striker left Dortmund in 2014 on a free transfer, the club are not enthused by the prospect of seeing the same thing happen with Haaland.

Bayern’s current record transfer is Lucas Hernández, who joined from Atlético Madrid for €80m in 2019. That was a remarkable outlay for a club that had never previously spent in excess of €42m on a player and Dortmund hope the symbolic bump in Haaland’s clause will be enough to ensure he will go to England, Italy or Spain when he eventually leaves the Signal Iduna Park.