Chelsea have reportedly joined Barcelona and Real Madrid in the race to sign 21-year-old Borussia Dortmund forward Erling Haaland.
According to a report by Catalan outlet El Nacional, the race to sign Erling Haaland next summer continues to intensifies with every passing week. The latest club to have emerged in pursuit of the 21-year-old Borussia Dortmund forward are Chelsea, who will battle Barcelona and Real Madrid for his signature.
Haaland has become one of the most highly sought-after players to have ever played the game since joining Borussia Dortmund from Red Bull Salzburg in January 2020. One of the most prolific forwards in the game, the 21-year-old has quickly established himself among the best players in the game at the moment.
Haaland has started the 2021/22 campaign strongly as well, with 11 goals and four assists in just eight appearances so far. Judging by the steepness of his upward trajectory, it is hardly surprising that some of the biggest clubs in Europe are keen on securing his services at the earliest possible opportunity, with some of his suitors being Real Madrid, Barcelona and Chelsea.
Real Madrid have been hot on the trails of Haaland ever since his advent at Red Bull Salzburg and have continued to remain in the hunt for him over the last couple of years. The continued interest is understandable as well, considering they need to lay down a succession plan for Karim Benzema, despite his heroics since the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo.
With that in mind, Real Madrid are plotting a summer move for Haaland, when the release clause in his Dortmund deal will come into effect. However, bitter rivals Barcelona are also interested in securing the services of the 21-year-old, and for good reason.
While Luuk de Jong and Sergio Aguero arrived at Camp Nou in the summer, neither is a long-term solution, with de Jong unlikely to be signed permanently from Sevilla as things stand. So, signing a player like Haaland would surely be a step in the right direction for Barcelona, although they would prefer a player-plus-cash deal, as per recent reports.
The interest from Chelsea, meanwhile, is shocking to say the least, considering they have already signed a top class striker recently in the form of Romelu Lukaku. With the Belgian international returning to Stamford Bridge at the peak of his powers, it is hard to see where Haaland would fit in the scheme of things, even if Timo Werner ends up departing, unless Thomas Tuchel shifts to a 3-5-2 formation for good.
Apart from Real Madrid, Barcelona and Chelsea, the likes of Manchester City, Manchester United and Bayern Munich have also been linked with Haaland. With the competition for the 21-year-old prolific forward heating up, it remains to be seen where he ends up going next summer.
