According to the Standard, Spanish giants Real Madrid are interested in signing Dortmund forward Erling Haaland when the summer transfer window opens. The 19-year-old wonderkid reportedly has a £50million release clause in his BVB contract. That means that the German club would have no say in if he stays or goes in the next transfer window.
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A sensation so far in Germany
Haaland has gone from a little-known Norwegian youngster plying his trade in his home country to household name in less than 12 months. He first shone in the club game at Austrian club Salzburg before a move to Germany in the January transfer window, which reportedly cost a bargain fee of around £20million due to a release clause in his contract.
Since his move to Dortmund, he has scored 12 goals in 11 appearances for BVB. His performances this season so far have turned him into one of the most highly-rated young attacking players in the game. In fact, his displays have already seen him linked with a quick switch to Manchester United.
Real Madrid looking for attacking additions
When it comes to forwards, Real Madrid have a slight dearth in prolific strikers. French forward Karim Benzema is their main striker. Although the veteran forward has produced a decent number of goals, 14 in La Liga, he has always been more of a set-up guy.
His current deputy is Serbian youngster Luka Jovic, who arrived with a big reputation for €60 million from Eintracht Frankfurt last summer. Jovic has struggled for game time. Benzema has blocked his path to regular first-team football.
The result has been four league starts and 11 substitute appearances that have yielded just two league goals. The youngster has certainly failed to hit the ground running in the Spanish capital. Haaland would demand that he played regularly, so if he moved to Los Blancos head coach Zinedine Zidane would need to find a way of playing him.
Haaland is a potential superstar and maybe he would stand a better chance of dislodging Benzema from the starting line-up. However, maybe Jovic’s struggles in Spain maybe a note of caution for the youngster of making the move from Germany too early. At Dortmund, he developing nicely and playing regularly. At Real Madrid, despite promises of regular football, he may still not play as much he does for BVB.
Real Madrid outsiders for La Liga title
With football leagues all over Europe in turmoil because of the coronavirus, it is uncertain when, and indeed if the 2019/20 season will return. However, if La Liga concludes then Real Madrid are outsiders at odds of 9/5 to finish the season as Spanish champions.
They have enjoyed a solid enough season, but a few crucial slip-ups mean that Barcelona are once again at the summit of La Liga. If the league is called off then Real Madrid will have to wait until next season to dethrone the Catalan giants.
A signing like that of Haaland is the sort that would excite Madridistas. The striker could prove to be a very signing. If the report that Haaland has a release clause in his contract of £50million, then in the current crazy transfer market he could prove to be a shrewd signing.
