Real Madrid are reportedly set to battle Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain in pursuit of Erling Haaland next summer.
According to Calciomercato, Erling Haaland is set to leave Borussia Dortmund for a record fee next summer, with Real Madrid, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain vying for his services. The forward reportedly has a release clause that could see him depart Bundesliga for a cut-price, but there hasn’t been much fuss over it in recent weeks.
Real Madrid are by far the likeliest destination for Haaland as they are actively chasing a new forward who can replace Karim Benzema for the long term. Los Blancos were interested in a late swoop for Kylian Mbappe this summer, but the move was blocked by Paris Saint-Germain, who are willing to let the Frenchman leave for free next summer.
However, it appears Real Madrid are now set to face stiff competition from Manchester City, as they are also in the market for a new striker after the failed pursuit of Harry Kane.
The reigning English champions were also in contention to sign Cristiano Ronaldo in the summer, as confirmed by midfielder Fernandinho, but the deal was hijacked by Manchester United.
Manchester City’s involvement in the Haaland pursuit could be devastating for Real Madrid, as the Sky Blues have close connections with his dad. Indeed, Alf Inge Haaland was a former professional at Man City and it won’t be surprising to see him facilitate a move to Manchester for his son.
In the meantime, Erling has already hit the ground running this season, notably starring in Borussia Dortmund’s 2-1 win over Besiktas. He now has 66 goals in 66 competitive matches for the Bundesliga giants while his Champions League tally stands at 21 goals in 17 matches. The Norwegian is already closing in on the likes of Luis Figo, Angel Di Maria and Gonzalo Higuain in UCL’s all-time goalscoring charts.
Haaland’s exploits in front of goal with Dortmund is indicative of his pedigree at the highest level of football. And with the whole world watching, his transfer saga next summer could turn out to be one of the most significant in recent memory, with the 21-year-old widely tipped as the next big thing in football, along with Kylian Mbappe.