Haaland: Raiola looking for €50m per season for Dortmund striker
La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that PSG have made the first move for Erling Haaland as Mino Raiola attempts to spark a bidding war for his client this summer.
Despite the protestations of Borussia Dortmund CEO Jans-Joachim Watzke that star striker Erling Haaland is far from guaranteed to be leaving the Bundesliga side this summer, there are several clubs across Europe that will test the resolve of player and club, buoyed by the tour Haaland’s agent Mino Raiola initiated last summer of some of the most illustrious names on the continent, including prime movers Real Madrid, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.
Haaland’s Price tag is up for debate. A release clause in his contract states that he will be able to leave next summer if the €75m amount is met, while Dortmund hope to increase that by at least €15m with a performance-related clause of their own. Still, it will likely take well over €100m to land the prolific Norway forward and Raiola will be keen to kick-start a bidding war. PSG have emerged as front-runners for Haaland’s signature, with Madrid in the wings biding their time over Kylian Mbappé, and La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that initial contact has been made between Raiola and the Parc des Princes hierarchy, headed up by sporting director Leonardo.
Raiola seeking big pay day for Haaland
However, whichever club finally lands Europe’s most prized out-and-out striker will find that it won’t come cheap. According to La Gazzetta, Raiola is pushing for a salary of €50m per season for his client, which would eclipse PSG’s highest earners, Neymar and Leo Messi, and may even make Real Madrid think twice.
In the meantime, Haaland will be unable to add to his impressive tally of goals this season at the weekend against Augsburg and will not be traveling to join up with the Norway squad for the international break after picking up a muscle injury that kept him out against Mönchengladbach and Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League. “He has tried [to make the Augsburg game] but the pain remains too much,” Dortmund boss Marco Rose said in his pre-match press conference. “He was even forced to stop his final individual session, which means he won’t be able to play before the international break. Erling will stay here with us and we’ll try to take advantage of the time in the best way for him. A rest will do him good and we’ll keep an eye on his recovery every day.”