Dortmund chief drops Erling Haaland hint after Mino Raiola transfer talks

Soon-to-be Borussia Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl has had his say on the rumours linking the star striker with a move to Chelsea.

Haaland burst onto the scene with Austrian club Red Bull Salzburg in the 2019/20 campaign, scoring 16 in 14 league appearances and impressing in the Champions League too.

It didn’t take long for some of the biggest clubs in Europe to become interested in the powerful forward, with several Premier League clubs being linked with the striker due to his father, Alf-Inge Haaland, being a successful defender in the English top-flight.

However, it was Dortmund’s guarantee of a place in the first-team that persuaded the Norwegian to join their club, with Salzburg receiving £17million for the prolific finisher.

The striker has been superb for BVB since signing, scoring 40 goals in 43 appearances in all competitions last season.

It is such form that has led to rumours suggesting Haaland won’t be playing for Dortmund next season, but incoming sporting director Kehl has said otherwise.

In an interview with German news outlet Bild, he said: “Will Haaland stay this summer? Yes.

“In the discussions with Raiola for (Donyell) Malen, I did not have the feeling we have to meet again about Haaland. We don’t want to give him up.”

The rumours became even more unwavering after ESPN journalist Julien Laurent revealed he had spoken to Haaland’s agent Mino Raiola about Chelsea’s interest and he is very aware of it.

But even if Dortmund were open to letting Haaland leave the club, it is uncertain as to whether anyone would be able to afford the 21-year-old.

Reports from Germany have suggested that BVB have slapped a £150m price tag on the forward.

They are reluctant to lose two important players in the same transfer window having already sold Jadon Sancho to Manchester United last week.

Despite the triple-figure fee required, Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel is still keen to bring the target man to Stamford Bridge, as is billionaire businessman and Blues owner Roman Abramovich.

The pair believe that Haaland would solve a lot of their goal-scoring issues and allow Chelsea to build on last season’s Champions League win and be as successful in the league.

But not even Haaland, despite usually being a self-assured and confident character, does not believe he is worth such an enormous sum of money.

Sky Sports Germany reporter Jesco von Eichmann, who is at the Dortmund training camp in Switzerland currently, revealed the conversation he had with the striker.

He said: “I had a little chat with him today, actually. He just passed by and asked me, ‘Hey, are there any news about me?’ I said, ‘No, actually, no. Chelsea still at £150 [million].’

“And he was smiling and said, ‘No, I’m not that worth’.”

However, Haaland may have to become familiar with being a big price signing as there is a release clause in his contract that will become active next season.

Haaland will be allowed to leave Dortmund for £68million as of June 2022, a cut-price figure which will be of interest to most of Europe’s biggest clubs if they are willing to wait 12 months before approaching BVB.