Erling Haaland has a contract with BVB until 2024, but the striker has an exit option. Advisor Mino Raiola now revealed the state of affairs – and names four possible destinations.
“Maybe this summer, maybe the summer after. But there is a big chance that Erling will leave this summer,” the 54-year-old said in an interview with “Sport1” when asked when the next step in the Norwegian’s career would come. “He can and will take the next step. Bayern, Real, Barcelona, City – these are the big clubs he can go to,” Raiola said. “City have won the championship five times in the last few years, much more than United. We all knew then when we moved to Dortmund that this move was coming. “
A transfer last summer would have been “definitely better economically for BVB. But they looked after the good of the club, the fans, the team and the success. I have a lot of respect for that decision,” Raiola continued. He plans to sit down with Dortmund this winter to discuss the 21-year-old’s future. However, he does not expect a decision on Haaland’s future in the next few weeks. “We will tell BVB what our idea is and BVB will tell us their ideas,” he said. “But no decision will be made in the winter.”
Managing director Hans-Joachim Watzke also announced “talks in the next few weeks”, knowing full well that it is not BVB who can decide whether Haaland will exercise his exit option.
We have been thinking, doing and making for two years.
According to Raiola, they have been working on a transfer for the Norwegian for some time. “The big deals are carefully prepared one or two years in advance. We have been thinking, doing and making for two years,” said the 54-year-old, adding: “We have clear ideas of where we want Erling to go and of course we are looking at what the market has to offer. “
“Hate friendship” with BVB bosses
But the Italian, who in addition to Haaland also coaches stars such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Paul Pogba, also spoke highly of BVB and sporting director Michael Zorc, with whom he had a “very bad relationship”, “really very bad. He must have really hated me. I never thought that hatred would turn into friendship. He has my maximum respect. He defends his club to the death. The negotiations with him were stubborn. But it’s thanks to Zorc that Erling plays for BVB today. “
Raiola praised above all the courage of Dortmund, who had not shied away from the risk with Haaland – and that had paid off in the end. “They had the balls at the time to bring in someone like Erling, who is still quite unknown but still costs a lot of money. If they had hesitated for a year, they would never have been able to get these players. “
He also has respect for BVB club boss Hans-Joachim Watzke, with whom it was not always easy, as Raiola revealed: “We had arguments, really big arguments. But still we respect each other. Why shouldn’t we be allowed to argue? I would even call Watzke a great friend. And I don’t say that often. “
