Why Real Madrid quietly want Erling Haaland to stay with Dortmund

No Real Madrid fan can wait for the summer of 2022, where big things are supposed to happen. Los Blancos will probably be in the market for a lot of players, especially free agents – and they will try to improve the team.

One of the names that have been mentioned is Erling Haaland. He’s rumored to leave Dortmund for a more competitive club. That club could well be Real Madrid. In fact, it’s reported that Madrid is actually Haaland’s dream destination.

But, let’s look at it from a different perspective, shall we? What if Haaland doesn’t join Real Madrid next season? What if he doesn’t join any of the rumored teams and stays with Dortmund? Would that be so bad?

Karim Benzema won’t get as many minutes if Haaland joins Real Madrid in 2022

OK, think about this: Karim Benzema is in the form of his life. He’s never averaged better numbers, and even though he’s had a couple of not-so-good games, he still is doing incredibly well overall. If Real bring Haaland in next season, that would mean Karim Benzema won’t get as much playing time. Obviously, with Kylian Mbappe’s near-imminent arrival, and Vinicius Jr’s emergence, Karim Benzema can work perfectly. But if you add Erling Haaland into the mix, it complicates things. Moreover, the complication occurs at the actual prime of the French superstar.

Would you really want to bench him when he’s at the peak of his powers? It’s clear that both of them would rarely be in the starting XI. One of them has to be benched. Sometimes it will be Haaland, sometimes Benzema.

Now, if Haaland somehow stays at Dortmund – ‘somehow’ being the keyword – that would mean we get to see Benzema lead the line for one more season, before either swiftly taking a backseat or going back to Lyon, something he has been vocal about. And then, in 2023, Haaland could lead the line and no player would have to sacrifice for the other.

You can say, “oh, but it’s Haaland, wouldn’t you bench Benzema for Haaland?” Well, I’m not saying yes or no, but right now, Benzema is a Ballon d’Or candidate. It’s very, very hard to bench him at the moment. Erling Haaland has been incredible as well, but only one gets to start. I’d want both players to get the playing time that they deserve at Real Madrid, even if it means that it will be in different points in time.

I have to say, though, it is really, really tough to see him staying at Borussia Dortmund for another year. There are simply too many clubs that are on the hunt for him, and Dortmund will not be able to offer Haaland the same things that the likes of Manchester City or Real could offer. If that is the case, then Real Madrid will probably make a bid as well, but deep down, I think they hope to see him in a Dortmund shirt for at least another season as well. I cannot be the only one that thinks so.