While Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are still representing the biggest clubs in Europe, the global superstars will remain regarded as the two superstars of the sport. However, at 33 and 36 years of age respectively, their best years are behind them, leaving teams to identify the next player who could possess similar global appeal. With prospects being granted more game time every weekend, their current trajectories could take positive or negative turns in the near future, but the majority of the high-profile clubs have already decided that Erling Braut Haaland will be the heir to Messi's and Ronaldo's throne.
Just like punters can benefit from the bonuses highlighted by some Norwegian guides, all interested parties know that they need to strike now if they wish to secure the signature of the free-scoring 20-year-old. Despite Borussia Dortmund inserting a release clause in his contract which will become active in 2022, it has effectively been rendered meaningless given that Premier League clubs will be willing to spend in and around the £100m mark on the Norway international. Dortmund have quickly progressed into a club which is deemed to be a stepping stone by young players desperate for regular game time, but the consequence of that is officials at the Westfalenstadion frequently being required to deal with interest in their key men.
That is not to say that anyone should start to feel sorry for Dortmund. They stand to make at least a 500% profit if they agree to sell Haaland this summer, and it will be a similar story when teams switch their attention to Jadon Sancho, Jude Bellingham, Giovanni Reyna and Youssoufa Moukoko. Financially, they are going to be the big winners over the next few years, and it is an attractive price to pay to watch rival clubs bask in the glory that their current youngsters could bring them.
Going back to Haaland and it has already become clear that he will have his pick of clubs this summer. Even if clubs are in two minds over whether they can afford him, they will make the sacrifices required if he chooses them as his preferred destination. However, despite the monetary burden that Haaland could bring on the likes of Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool or Real Madrid in the short term, they will have the peace of mind that the player himself wants to be there for the next phase of his career, far longer than the periods he spent at Red Bull Salzburg and Dortmund.
A certain percentage of footballers will join clubs who are prepared to offer them the most money. It is just a part of the game. With Haaland, it feels like legacy is his biggest motivating factor. As the son of a former Man City and Leeds United midfielder, it may be inevitable that he will link up with at least one of those clubs during his career, but right now, he wants trophies. Whether he moves to the Etihad Stadium in the summer or elsewhere, he wants scoring 35 goals plus per season to count for something. Although the Champions League and DFB Pokal are still on the agenda for this campaign, Bayern Munich's presence in the Bundesliga means that he is unlikely to win a league title in Germany.
Whichever way you look at it, there will be no losers in the Haaland saga this summer. Dortmund stand to be boosted financially or retain the services of their best player. Haaland gets to enjoy another productive year at a high level or advance his career at his hand-picked club. Interested clubs get to acquire the services of a player who can become dominant over the next decade or avoid the financial issues which may be associated with his signing. body check tags ::
