Report: Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland is still a transfer target for Bayern Munich

Per a report from Sport Bild, Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland was once — and still is — a primary transfer target for Bayern Munich.

Per the German outlet, Bayern Munich’s interest in the Norway international goes back to 2017 when the phenom was breaking through with Molde FK in the Eliteserien. Just 17-years-old at the time, though, Bayern Munich deemed the talent “too expensive” of a purchase for the youth system.

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Bayern Munich sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic and chief scout Marco Neppe kept in contact with Haaland’s agent Mino Raiola, however. In 2019, after Liverpool downed RB Salzburg 2-0 in Champions League action on December 10, Haaland’s father Alf-Inge allegedly let the Bavarians know that Erling could still “envision a move to Munich.” With Robert Lewandowski firmly entrenched as the world’s best striker, Bayern Munich could not make any promises of playing time to Haaland, which ultimately was a deal-breaker.

Haaland’s total cost at the time encompassed the following figures:

• Transfer fee: €20 million euros
• Agent fee: €3 million
• Salary: €8 million (per year)
• Contract length: Four-and-a-half years
• Total cost: Approximately €60 million euros

That “total cost” was deemed too expensive for a back-up player, who likely would not get much field time behind Lewandowski.

Now, however, getting Haaland for €60 million over four-and-a-half years would seem like a bargain bin price. Haaland eventually signed with Borussia Dortmund on December 29, 2019.

Regardless, Haaland’s deal with Borussia Dortmund expires in 2024 and the youngster has a rumored buyout that will allegedly activate in 2022 for €75 million. With Lewandowski’s deal set to expire in 2023, could there be a future for Haaland in Bavaria?

Sport Bild thinks that the prodigious talent has a spot firmly entrenched on Brazzo’s “Shadow Team” for the foreseeable future:

The contact with Raiola is always maintained.

Haaland as the next generation Lewandowski? There might not be a better successor on Earth to slide into that role.