Real Madrid Transfers: Yes, Erling Haaland is worth 150 million euros

Real Madrid fans have largely seen Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland as an “either/or” proposition. While is technically possible for both players to sign – if Mbappe were to join for free in 2022, for example, or if Dortmund do not sell Haaland this summer and Real acquire Mbappe – realistically the finances and timeline probably won’t line up.

So Haaland has been positioned as an easier target for Real Madrid. He would cost less than Mbappe in a transfer, and his wages are not quite as high as the PSG star’s. And finally, Real should find it easier to negotiate with Dortmund than PSG.

But “easier”, in this case, is a dangerous term because of what the comparison is in relation to. Haaland is “easier” than acquiring Mbappe, who would be exceedingly difficult to sign during this pandemic. Therefore, Haaland is not “easy” to sign. It is still difficult to sign him, and a recent report highlights why.

Per a report from BILD, via City Xtra’s Freddie Pye, Dortmund will ask for 150 million euros in exchange for Erling Haaland this summer. The report mentions more than a handful of big clubs interested in the player, including rivals Barcelona and the Premier League’s Manchester City, who have the most financial power in this sweepstakes.

Real Madrid is not the only top club interested in Erling Haaland, and that’s the key to his price

Although Real and Dortmund have a good relationship with each other, don’t expect that to be an advantage with so much money involved. BVB may like Real, but they aren’t going to give them a sweeter deal “just because”. Whoever has the best offer for the club and player will win.

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Look at the teams involved. Chelsea, Manchester United, and Liverpool are three more powerful Premier League clubs with interest in Haaland. Chelsea have pretty much the same financial power as City do.

So you can see why Haaland would cost so much. If Kylian Mbappe’s price is reportedly set at 200 million euros, then it’s no surprise that Haaland is only 50 million euros cheaper.

A bidding war amongst these major clubs can make it so that Dortmund get that kind of money, even in this financial crisis. And with each passing performance, specifically his back-to-back Champions League braces against Jules Kounde’s Sevilla, Haaland’s stock only rises.

We saw how Dortmund strong-armed Jadon Sancho last summer. Years ago, they managed to get more than 100 million euros for Ousmane Dembele from FC Barcelona despite the fact that everybody knew he would leave. Now that was a totally different market, but the point remains.

When Dortmund set a price, they stick to it. And they will not be obligated to sell until 2022, per the handshake deal with Mino Raiola, unless they fail to qualify for the Champions League. In that case, BVB would be more desperate to sell the likes of Sancho and Haaland.

That’s a situation for Madridistas to monitor. But at the end of the day, Haaland or Mbappe is vital to Real’s short and long-term success. They need a superstar attacking player, and their only proven goal-scorer is Karim Benzema, who is 33 and most ideally a secondary scorer capable of bringing out the best in a primary scorer.

Haaland is a 20-year-old sensation who is setting records as a Champions League goal-scorer and has bagged 29 goals and five assists in all competitions this season. He is not the finished product yet, as evidenced by the fact that roughly 90 percent of his goals are with his left foot compared to his head and weaker foot, per WhoScored.com. But that’s what makes him so exciting. If THIS is what he’s doing with his clinical finishing, raw physical tools, and the understanding of the game he has now, imagine how good he’ll be in a few years.

The Dortmund star is both an immediate upgrade and a long-term investment. He is coveted by almost every other single top club. The way he approaches the game is like the other greats of the sport. And for all of these reasons, Haaland is worth 150 million euros. If Dortmund stick to that price, eventually, I believe someone will pay it.

Whether or not that’s Real Madrid, I don’t know. Because 150 million is a huge asking price. The big factor here is the competition. City and Chelsea have so much money they can throw at Haaland, and City are the real team to watch here because of their need for a young superstar striker like Haaland and their seemingly endless supply of cash. They are no slam-dunk to win out and meet that price, but their presence gives Dortmund the ability to set their demands high.

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For his part, Florentino Perez will aim high. Let’s see if he can come up with the right offer and maybe even offer some trade chips to lower the price, using his relationship with Dortmund to help the club. Whatever the case, Haaland is a Galactico with ridiculous numbers, especially for his age, and so that is not an outrageous demand from the Black and Yellows by any means. It’s just up to Real to meet the challenge of paying for his generational talent, just as it is up to them to meet the higher bar Mbappe presents if they were to go that route.

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