Real Madrid can’t count on Erling Haaland being available

Real Madrid have identified striker Erling Haaland as one of their potential targets in the 2020 summer transfer window, but there’s a good chance he won’t even be available.

Erling Haaland had a sensational group stage performance in the 2019-2020 Champions League, lighting up teams like Liverpool as the star striker for RB Salzburg. His displays earned him a big winter transfer move, and while he could have chosen Manchester United as his next step, he decided to play with Real Madrid loanee Achraf Hakimi at Borussia Dortmund.

The Norway international’s decision proved to be excellent. Dortmund are a great destination for young players, having showcased the likes of Hakimi and Madrid transfer target Jadon Sancho in the past two years. Haaland exploded as the top scoring option in Dortmund’s vaunted attack, scoring nine goals in only 512 minutes before the Bundesliga campaign stopped.

Haaland’s electrifying performances have earned him continued links to Manchester United this summer, and he’s also receiving a great deal of interest from Real Madrid, who could use a top-notch goal-scorer. Florentino Perez also loves targeting young players, and Haaland is the second-best young player in the world after Madrid’s dream target Kylian Mbappe.

However, there’s no guarantee Haaland wants to leave Dortmund this summer or that BVB want to sell him, even if they could get more money this summer than they would in 2021 when his moderate release clause kicks in.

There’s been an expectation that Haaland will stay with Dortmund for another year, as BVB will already lose Sancho, likely to a Man United team that needs star power up front.

According to a report from BILD, via Goal.com’s Ronan Murphy, Haaland will not be leaving Dortmund in the summer of 2020, whenever the transfer window begins.

Dortmund could make up for the low release clause by giving Haaland a new contract with a raise, reflecting his insane performances in 2019-2020, and a more onerous release clause for the likes of Madrid and United. If Real Madrid wanted to sign Haaland and Mbappe, that would disqualify Haaland as an option entirely, since they’d need to sign him at a discount price this summer in order to afford the ambitious double-swoop.

It’s not happening. By the looks of it, Dortmund want at least one superstar forward for 2020-2021, knowing Sancho is as good as gone. Haaland is the guy, and BVB will likely find some other way to make sure they get maximal transfer value out of the world’s most productive striker from last season.