What Erling Haaland has said about his future as Chelsea target makes major transfer decision
Erling Haaland looks set for a summer move to Manchester City, with the two parties 'agreeing
terms', according to reports.
According to the Daily Mail, the 21-year-old forward, who is said to have a £64million
release clause in his Borussia Dortmund contract that becomes active at the end of the season,
is closing in on a move to the Premier League.
Chelsea were interested in signing Haaland last summer, with Thomas Tuchel confirming
that talks took place but the Blues boss revealed that a move was "unrealistic".
Tuchel said this last year: "We talked about Erling Haaland a couple of times, including
during the transfer window.
But then it seemed absolutely unrealistic and not at all feasible.
"We talk about him regularly, of course, because he is a fantastic player and clearly the defining
figure at Dortmund, who is a big rival for us in the Champions League."
Despite Chelsea holding an interest in the talented Norwegian striker, it now looks like
Manchester City are the front-runners for his signature.
With all of this being said, football.london takes a look at what Haaland has said on his
future recently and how it could hint towards the Norway international quitting Borussia
Dortmund at the end of the season.
Back in January, Haaland was quite open about how Dortmund were pressuring him into making
a decision regarding his future and his unhappiness about
the situation.
He told Viaplay, via Planet Football: "The last six months, I have chosen not to say
anything out of respect for Dortmund.
"But now the club has started to pressure me into making a decision, but all I want
to do is play football.
But they press me to make a decision now about my future.
So that means I have to make a decision soon.
"I have said from the beginning that I want to focus on football because that is when
I am at my best, not when other things come into my mind.
Now they have put pressure for a while, so it is time to get things started."
Responding to those comments from Haaland, Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc admitted
he was surprised.
Zorc said to Kicker: "Erling's statements surprised us a bit.
There is currently no deadline, no deadlines, and there have not been any discussions.
"But that we want and have to have talks at some point is clear, understandable and only
professional."
Fellow Dortmund chief Sebastian Kehl echoed Zorc's comments, saying this to Sport1 Doppelpass:
"I was a bit surprised by his comments.
"In the next few days, I will talk to him about what's on his mind right now and why,
after a 5-1 win, he came up with this topic and spoke so strongly about pressure.
"There is no ultimatum, there is no deadline.
We're not putting him under pressure to make a decision in the next few weeks.
But because he is so important to us, there has to be planning security for us at a certain
point.
"How am I supposed to push ahead with my squad planning, how can we replace an Erling Haaland,
if we don't get a sense of whether the player still wants to stay at Borussia Dortmund or
not?"