REAL MADRID
Real Madrid lead battle to sign Erling Haaland
Real Madrid are best positioned among Europe's top clubs to sign Erling Haaland next summer.
There is no greater predator than Erling Haaland in the world of football right now. The season has only just started and, at 21 years old, Haaland has already scored nine goals in seven games. His numbers since his arrival at Borussia Dortmund are simply outstanding: 66 goals in 66 games, or an average of one goal a game. These are the kind of numbers that Cristiano Ronaldo was hitting at his best at Real Madrid.
A tough battle looms between Europe’s top clubs to sign the striker set to dominate the next decade. After Kylian Mbappé at €160 million, he is the player with the second highest market value at €130 million. Haaland is the priority objective for Real Madrid after Mbappé, and the club is best positioned to land the player.
The latest statements from two of the game’s heavyweights back this up. First, LaLiga president, Javier Tebas, who was blunt when speaking about the modus operandi of Madrid’s main rivals for Haaland, PSG.
“[Real Madrid] have sold 200 million euros in players. They have money in the coffers to sign Mbappé and Haaland together. They haven’t lost money. On top of that, they have sold assets,” he said, before turning his attention to PSG.
“What is not understandable is that someone who loses €400 million, has a €500 million salary bill and on top of that can reject offers like that of Mbappé. The financial control rules are failing in France, and that is hurting the European market. The UEFA system is wrong.”
After Tebas was the recently resigned former Bayern Munich CEO, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, who indicated that Real Madrid will sign Haaland.
“Lewandowski is the best center forward in the world, Haaland the second. I think Bayern must be interested in Robert staying beyond the end of his contract in 2023. Signing Haaland is a huge investment. I don't think he's going to Liverpool. I know the owner very well and it is not that he is exactly known for opening the coffers so much,” said Rummenigge. “As for Haaland, he would not rule out Real Madrid. Maybe they will open the coffers a little more in summer and possibly get hold of Haaland and Kylian Mbappé.”
Real Madrid News:
Haaland’s pact with Dortmund
Madrid is in the driving seat and Haaland is set to leave Dortmund next summer without an issue. There is a pact between his agent, Mino Raiola, and Dortmund, that will see the German club facilitate his departure in 2022.
If Mbappé signs for Real Madrid in January, which looks clear to happen, PSG will become Los Blanco’s main opponent for Haaland. But Florentino Peréz is best positioned to make the deal happen. Firstly, he has the will of the player on his side, which is to wear the white of Madrid and play at the remodeled Bernabéu. Secondly, he has an excellent relationship with Hans-Joquim Watzke, Borussia Dortmund’s CEO. The only uncertainty revolves around Mino Raiola, who has a great influence on the future of his footballers, and Haaland is no exception. At the moment Raiola is closely linked to PSG, where he has two players on the books, Gianluigi Donnarumma, who signed from AC Milan on a free transfer this summer, and Marco Verratti.
Beyond the financial issue, sources close to Haaland himself have told AS that his decision will be based on a sporting one. PSG can offer him a place in a trident together with Neymar and Messi, but that has a much closer expiration date since the pair are 29 and 34 years old respectively. Madrid meanwhile can offer him a spot in a trident that has a much longer future, with Vinicius (21) and Mbappé (22). A trident that could dominate football for the next decade.