Haaland: Dortmund CEO says talk of Madrid deal is "bullshit"
Hans-Joachim Watzke, Borussia Dortmund's CEO, said nothing is decided on Erling Haaland. "Erling holds the key. I am neither optimistic nor pessimistic.”
Erling Haaland’s departure from Borussia Dortmund at the end of the 2021-22 season has been discussed so many times by so many people that it seemed to be a foregone conclusion the prolific Norway striker would be on his way to a new league (or to Bayern Munich) next summer. However, Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke has rubbished reports that Haaland has one boot out of the Westfalenstadion door in an interview with German television channel Sport1. “It’s all bullshit,” the Dortmund chief said of talk that Haaland’s departure is already assured, while stressing that the club’s intention is to retain their prized asset.
“Some experts say, ‘they’re in the stock market, they’re going to have to sell Haaland next summer.’ The decision as to whether or not to sell someone at our club is taken exclusively by the board. It has not yet been decided if he will leave next summer. We’ll see,” Watzke said.
Although the Dortmund CEO admitted that there is plenty of interest in Haaland, who has averaged a goal a game since his arrival from Salzburg in 2019, Watzke said the striker will largely choose his own path. “He is his own person. In any case, at some point he will play for one of the best clubs in the world, even though he is already playing at one of the best clubs in the world. But I know, of course, that he is seduced by Real Madrid.”
Watzke: "Mino doesn't only think about the money"
With regard to Mino Raiola, Haaland’s agent and one of the prime sources of talk of a move, Watzke said: “The ball is in Erling’s court. I have a good relationship with Mino Raiola. It is not correct to assume that Mino only thinks about money. He also thinks about what is best for the player. Erling holds the key. I am neither optimistic nor pessimistic.”