March 11, (THEWILL) – Catalan giants Barcelona are hoping to win the race to win Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund and bring the Norwegian forward to Camp Nou.
The Leeds-born 21-year-old is expected to depart the Bundesliga giants this summer, with a number of clubs already in contact with his representatives and his super agent Mino Raiola.
Dortmund will not be able to prevent Haaland from leaving since he has a release clause worth just under £70 million if the money is put on the table.
However, certain teams are willing to pay more for a deal with Dortmund since it will allow them to structure payments rather than having to pay the full amount upfront, as is required to trigger a release clause.
If Barcelona is able to persuade Haaland that his next move should be to Camp Nou, that will most likely be the means they employ.
Barca have overcome major financial difficulties in the last year, resulting in a significant reduction in their pay bill and the use of free agents and loans, and president Joan Laporta is optimistic that they will once again be able to compete for the greatest players in the world, including Haaland.
For months, the Norwegian’s representatives, led by Raiola and his father Alf-Inge, have been meeting with clubs, and sources close to the situation have revealed that Barcelona can not be ruled out and the Catalan side remains hopeful of securing his signature, as tough as that may appear.
Manchester City, the English Premier League champions and the club where Haaland’s father, Alf Inge, once played, are also keen to sign him, and while they are keen to not break their existing wage structure, a deal can be sanctioned to put Haaland alongside Kevin De Bruyne as the club’s highest earner.
Real Madrid have desired to have Haaland in their ranks for long, but their main objective has always been Kylian Mbappe, and that remains the case – though insiders say a deal for both of the world’s best young striking superstars is not out of the question.
Playing in Spain is said to be a key draw for Haaland, which might give Real and Barca an advantage, but PSG and Bayern Munich are also interested. Both teams have held conversations with the player’s representatives and they are still in the running to sign him.
Chelsea are another club interested in signing Haaland, although their interest has stalled in recent weeks due to their current ownership troubles and the sanctions put on Roman Abramovich.
Haaland is expected to make his decision within the next month, although a public statement may not come until the end of the season.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
