'Decision Soon': Erling Haaland states after accusing Borussia Dortmund for pressing for decision over future
The Norway international is believed to have a 75 million euros release clause in his contract that comes into effect this summer.
FollowAccusing Borussia Dortmund of putting pressure to make a decision, Erling Haaland has hinted he could decide his next move in the coming weeks. The Norway international is believed to have a 75 million euros release clause in his contract that comes into effect this summer.
In a tell-all post-game interview with Norwegian TV channel Viaplay, the 21-year-old indicated that pressure from within Dortmund means that a decision on a move could come soon rather than in the summer. Haaland, who has a contract with Borussia Dortmund until the summer of 2024, scored two goals in the 5-1 Bundesliga win over Freiburg at Signal Iduna Park on Friday. Marco Rose's side is three points behind Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich, having played a game more.
"The last six months, I have chosen not to say anything out of respect for Dortmund, but now the club has started to press me into making a decision," the striker revealed.
Stating that all he wants to do is play football, Haaland added, "But Dortmund are pressing me about my future, so that means I have to make a decision soon. I have said from the beginning that I want to focus on football because that is when I am at my best. But I can't do that now."
In December, Haaland's agent, Mino Raiola, had named Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Real Madrid and Barcelona as potential destinations. Barcelona is a strong favourite because of the relationship President Joan Laporta and Haaland's agent Mino Raiola share.
Meanwhile, Borussia Dortmund CEO, Hans-Joachim Watzke, downplayed suggestions of a row between the club and Haaland, failed to deny the striker's claims that the club wants him to decide on his future soon. "There's no problem with Erling. He is a spontaneous person. He's allowed to do that. But he must also have some understanding for our situation – we can't wait until the end of May," Watzke told Ruhr Nachrichten.
Earlier this month, Haaland had sparked excitement among his fans for reportedly saying that he 'will play in Spain'. Barcelona President Joan Laporta later refused to rule out a move to sign the 21-year-old, adding that the Spanish giant is working to build a top team, and top players are open to moving to Camp Nou.
However, if one talks about seeing Haaland in a Premier League side, then Manchester City are in pole position. It's a known fact that Pep Guardiola has been in the hunt for a striker ever since Sergio Aguero moved to Barcelona in 2021. Although the defending Premier League champions believe they are thriving without an out-and-out striker, it will be interesting to see if Haaland eyes a move to the Etihad Stadium.
The decision won't be an easy one, though, because Pep Guardiola is a demanding manager and one has to play the game his way. Sports pundits normally believe a player takes at least one season to adapt to Pep's way of playing, which could make it difficult for Haaland to consider a move to Manchester City.
In the 2020–21 campaign, Erling Haaland played a key role in Dortmund's DFB-Pokal victory, bagged the Bundesliga Player of the Season award and also finished as the top scorer of the Champions League. There's no doubt that the Norway international will dominate headlines in days to come, as will Barcelona's attempt to strengthen their team and Manchester City's not-so-desperate bid to bring a young striker on board.
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