ESPN FC: Borussia Dortmund Set Monstrous Asking Price for Erling Haaland

The Norwegian god of goals, Erling Haaland, is currently on international duty, making headlines for fighting human rights issues with the Norwegian national team, but that doesn’t stop the rumor mill from doing the rounds. ESPN FC reports that Borussia Dortmund have set an asking price of €180m if anyone wants to buy him this summer.

Despite disappointing performances on the pitch so far this season, Die Schwarzgelben have made a real statement off the pitch by setting a huge asking price for Haaland. Bring a big pile of cash or wait until next season seems to be the message the Borussia Dortmund board are sending, despite facing some pressure with reports of significant losses this season. While Haaland’s reported €70m release clause does not kick in until next summer, it is no surprise to see BVB make a statement with regard to the availability of their star striker.

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Despite Borussia Dortmund’s struggles, Erling Haaland has been excellent this season, scoring 33 goals in all competitions, including 10 in the Champions League. He is now the youngest player to score 20 goals in Europe’s premier club competition, but if BVB fail to qualify for the Champions League next season, his progress will be halted. There have been questions about the possibility that Dortmund might be forced to sell Haaland this summer, if they do miss out on next season’s Champions League, but this report seems to suggest they won’t.

It will be interesting to see if anyone can match BVB’s asking price, given the financial instability brought on by the pandemic. The temptation to wait until next summer will surely grow, given the cost of getting Haaland a year early. I don’t think we should rule out clubs with deep pockets, like Manchester City or Chelsea FC, but perhaps Dortmund are making a play to run it back one more year and give the fans what they want. It is an interesting proposition, given BVB’s finances, but I trust the club’s hierarchy to handle this situation and get the best result.