Erling Haaland's former Borussia Dortmund boss has claimed the Manchester City striker considers Real Madrid his 'dream' destination, amid ongoing speculation linking him with a £130m move to the Spanish giants. The 25-year-old Norwegian has been exceptional for City, scoring 162 goals and providing 30 assists in 198 matches since his £51m transfer from Dortmund.
Haaland's Value and Interest
Valued at £170m (€200m) by Transfermarkt, Haaland averages a goal every 85 minutes for City. His form has attracted attention from Real Madrid and Barcelona, with Madrid presidential candidate Enrique Riquelme even displaying a 'Haaland 9' jersey during his campaign. Riquelme claimed Haaland has a release clause and wants to join Madrid this summer, but his statements were dismissed by Haaland's father and agent, Rafaela Pimenta, as 'not true'. City also threatened legal action over the unfounded assertions.
Perez's Plans
Riquelme lost the election to Florentino Perez, who confirmed Madrid will make a significant offer this summer, but not for Haaland. Perez stated: 'We're going to make a significant offer, at least around €150m. He needs to be a player from midfield who can go forward. And it's not Haaland.' The player is not from the Premier League, and the signing aims to generate excitement.
Watzke's Insight
Borussia Dortmund president Hans Joachim Watzke, familiar with Haaland from his time at the Bundesliga club, expects City to retain the striker for at least another couple of campaigns. He told Marca: 'I know very well what Haaland thinks, and I can say that he certainly admires Real Madrid and would like to play there in the future, but next season he will continue at Manchester City. Erling Haaland loves Real Madrid and doesn't hide it. But he won't join this summer. I think he'll play there in two or three years.'
Barcelona Interest
Barcelona are also keen, with Pimenta noting admiration for the club but no contact. She said: 'I have often said that we have a lot of respect for Barcelona, a lot of admiration, but there has been no contact from the club, nor from its candidates for a transfer. Also because the player renewed his contract a few months ago, he is very happy at Manchester City.'
Haaland appears content at City despite Pep Guardiola's departure this summer, and remains under contract for another eight years. Only time will reveal if he eventually chooses a different direction for his outstanding career.
