25/04 - 20:00
Norwegian goalscoring sensation, Erling Haaland, may be set to remain at Borussia Dortmund for a year longer, with the club completing a huge turnaround over the space of a few weeks.
Rewind to the start of April, and things couldn’t have looked much different for BVB. A gigantic seven points off of fourth place in the Bundesliga, Haaland’s agent, Mino Raiola, and his father Alf-Inge, began their tour of Europe’s top clubs, starting in Barcelona and Madrid.
The generational striker had recently stormed off the pitch after scoring twice in a 2-2 draw with relegation fodder Koln, and things were soon compounded as a loss against 4th placed Eintracht Frankfurt seemed to confirm their Europa League fate.
However, Dortmund seemed to find some confidence in a strong showing against Manchester City in the Champions League, with some questionable decisions denying them a spot in the final four, and since it’s been all uphill.
Dortmund are on an eight-game winning streak in the league and cup, picking up their first meaningful silverware in six years by lifting the DFB Pokal last week after a hugely impressive 4-1 battering of Leipzig, while a 3-1 win over Mainz at the weekend confirmed their spot in the Champions League next season.
Haaland, who’s made the Champions League his own with 20 goals in 16 games, looked a dead certainty to leave the club rather than miss a year away from the competition, now it appears he could well stay.
Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke: "I'm convinced Haaland will stay."
Linking up with his former coach at Salzburg, Marco Rose, next season, reports in Germany suggest Haaland will have the patience to spend another season in Germany, in front of supporters, hoping to challenge Bayern Munich.
It comes as a blow to the likes of Manchester City and Real Madrid, but Haaland, whose release clause drops to £75 million next summer, will now essentially be able to choose his next destination, leaving the decision down to sporting reasons due to the increased number of sides able to match that fee.
𝙂𝙍𝙀𝘼𝙏 𝙔𝙀𝙇𝙇𝙊𝙒 𝙒𝘼𝙇𝙇,
— Erling Haaland (@ErlingHaaland) May 14, 2021
Last night was for you. For your cheers. For your passion. For your love. We thank you, always! 🖤💛 pic.twitter.com/cbWrQHdenG
