Erling Haaland was declared untouchable by his club Borussia Dortmund this summer. Chelsea was planning a $210 million bid for the 21-year-old striker, but ended up signing Romelu Lukaku after Dortmund’s firm statement on its prodigy.
Haaland started the season on a high, scoring a hat-trick in Dortmund’s 3-0 win over third-tier club Wehen Wiesbaden. Giants Bayern Munich are paying close attention to Haaland’s fantastic progress, the German champions sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic confirmed.
“He’s a top player, I hear he’s a great boy too. He’s a Dortmund player, but 60 goals in 60 games … You have to look, otherwise, we would be full amateurs,” Salihamidzic told German station Sport1 on Sunday.
Salihamidzic is the first Bayern official to fuel speculation on the club’s interest in Haaland. Previously, German media reported that the Bavarians were looking at the possibility of signing Haaland in 2022 as a long-term replacement to Polish goal machine Robert Lewandowski (32). The record-breaking Bayern striker was also snapped up from Dortmund in 2014.
Asked in July about Chelsea’s intention to buy him, Haaland said he hoped the report was just a rumor.
“It’s a lot of money for one person,” Haaland said. “I don’t really care too much about that [rumor]. I have three years left on my contract and I’m enjoying my time here. Before yesterday, I didn’t speak to my agent in a month.”
Haaland netted 41 goals in 41 games last season for Dortmund in his first full campaign at the German club.
A host of big teams were interested in signing Haaland, but didn’t bid for him. Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, and Liverpool all asked the player’s agent, Mino Raiola, to inform them of his client’s demands. Haaland put no pressure on Dortmund, accepting the club’s decision to keep him this summer.
In his first 60 games at BVB, Haaland scored 60 goals. In May, after netting twice against Sevilla in the Champions League, he became the youngest player to ever reach 20 goals in the competition. He did it in over just 14 games. He’s the only player in Dortmund’s history to score in his debut games in the Bundesliga, German Cup, and the Champions League.
The bookies still have Chelsea as favorites to sign the Viking goal-getter at -110. City is at +200 to attract him, with Real Madrid at +300 and Manchester United at +900. Financially troubled Barcelona is at +2400 while Bayern is currently at +1900.