Erling Haaland Transfer News: Potential Clubs
Erling Haaland transfer news has been relentless from the moment he joined Borussia Dortmund. Haaland made a gigantic leap from exciting prospect to international megastar, becoming the centre of the transfer rumour mill as a result.
Reports of Haaland’s release clause vary, though most agree it is in the £63 million range. When this expires and who it is applicable to seems to be a topic for debate among football reporters.
Dortmund clung onto the Norwegian last offseason, but they face a tougher challenge to keep hold of him into 2022-23.
Haaland Chelsea rumours have been plentiful, yet the same can be said for a host of other clubs. Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester City and Manchester United have all been linked on a frequent basis.
This is a transfer saga which grabs eyeballs and ears for websites and podcasts, such is the potentially transformative effect that Haaland can have on a club.
Each club has taken its turn in pole position. Haaland was reportedly close to a move to the Bernabeu at one point. Recently, it has been reported that City are the frontrunners, with Haaland and his camp giving the green light on a move.
In April 2022, Dortmund gave the biggest signal yet that Haaland is heading to England.
Michael Zorc, a director at the club, said, “That wouldn’t come as a complete surprise to us now…”
Of course, such news wouldn’t be much of a surprise to anyone given the speculation, but this does suggest that Real Madrid and Barcelona are no more than outsiders at this stage of the Haaland race.
Haaland Transfer to Chelsea?
Chelsea have frequently been mentioned as a Haaland destination even after signing Romelu Lukaku. Lukaku’s future at Stamford Bridge doesn’t look particularly positive at the moment, so a scenario where the Belgian leaves and Haaland arrives is feasible.
The Blues are in limbo right now, however. Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen are set to leave the club. Chelsea cannot negotiate contract extensions or new signings as their wait for new owners continues.
The attitude of those owners will decide how realistic they are as a Haaland suitor.
Splashing on the Norwegian after paying out for Lukaku is outlandish. It could be a marquee move for new owners to show the fans what they’re about or it could be seen as financially irresponsible if the group are looking to keep tighter control over transfer expenditure than has been the norm in west London.
The on-pitch fit is an interesting point with Haaland transfer rumours to Stamford Bridge, too. He’s more adaptable than Lukaku, but how does he slot in alongside Mason Mount and Kai Havertz?
Would Thomas Tuchel move away from his back three to build the side around Haaland?
City Become Unstoppable
Manchester City could be heading for a Premier League and Champions League double.
Pep Guardiola has embraced the strikerless life over the last couple of seasons, and it has been incredibly successful. Some still bemoan City’s lack of a pure number nine, but it seldom seems to be an issue.
Still, the Etihad Stadium outfit are reportedly keen on Haaland. He isn’t an obvious Guardiola striker, yet it’s fair to give Guardiola the benefit of the doubt when it comes to making this work.
Haaland’s presence would give them an extra punch in the final third that they occasionally seem lacking.
Adding Haaland to this team seems unfair. Throwing star power together isn’t always a formula for success in sport, but this is a combination that will worry City’s rivals in England and beyond.
This is a team already achieving remarkable things – would Haaland make them completely unstoppable?
Manchester United Chase Stars Again
Manchester United are going to be mentioned in transfer sagas like this. It’s a means for Haaland and his camp to drive up prices, and including the Red Devils doesn’t harm website traffic either.
It’s also exactly the sort of move United would surely like to make. While they aren’t celebrating many victories on the field, this would be a triumph for the club off the pitch, pipping their Premier League rivals to a massive signing.
Haaland and Cristiano Ronaldo isn’t a partnership that could work, but it’s not guaranteed that Ronaldo will be at Old Trafford into 2023.
After all, United need to plan long-term, and their need for a centre forward has been apparent for many years.
Lukaku, Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford have all been given opportunities in the role, but there is no clear answer to who will be the Red Devils’ number nine into the middle of this decade.
Perhaps Haaland is the man, perhaps he wants the challenge of leading United back to the top.
Liverpool Have A Case For Haaland
Where United are a work in progress to put it kindly, Haaland could look to their bitter rivals at Anfield for a more straight forward introduction to the Premier League.
Signing Haaland would likely mean the end for Mo Salah’s Liverpool stint.
While Liverpool have generally operated without a traditional centre forward under Jurgen Klopp, the success of Robert Lewandowski at Borussia Dortmund was an example of how Klopp’s tactics can be adapted.
There is a clear path from Dortmund’s style of play to Liverpool’s. The adaptation should be relatively simple.
The main thing stopping this move would be the wages. Liverpool, as the Salah negotiations are proving, are not as willing to hand out £200,000+ per week as their Premier League peers.
Haaland is going to be looking for something over £400,000 per week, and that might price the Reds out of a deal.
