Bayern president says they can afford Haaland if they are convinced of his quality

Martin Macdonald

• Updated: 19 May 2021 16:09 BST
• 3 min read

Bayern Munich president Herbert Hainer has revealed that the Bundesliga giants could sign Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund if they are convinced of his talents.

Haaland has burst onto the scene over the last 18 months to become one of the most devastating finishers in Europe, first with RB Salzburg and now with Dortmund.

His lightning-quick rise to prominence has seen speculation generate about what elite club he could sign for next, despite only joining Dortmund in January of 2020.

Manchester City, Manchester United, and Chelsea are just some of the top-level clubs interest in signing him, but Bayern are apparently in the mix too, according to Hainer.

“We are an economically very strong and healthy club,” Hainer told Sport1 when asked if Bayern were one of the clubs that could afford Haaland.

“Although we are also suffering massively from the pandemic, we can always bring players if we are convinced of them.

“Just two weeks ago Hasan Salihamidzic announced that we would bring one of the best central defenders in Dayot Upamecano to us.”

Haaland allegedly has a release clause of €75m that comes into effect in 2022, which would see him cost a lot more than the €42.5m that Bayern recently paid RB Leipzig for Dayot Upamecano.

Hainer was asked whether Bayern would be willing to meet this price, but the Bayern president refused to give any assurances, and vowed that the club would continue to try and develop young players as well as looking in the transfer market for superstars.

“I can’t say that today. We are in a pandemic, the whole world is in an exceptional situation – socially, economically and also in football,” he responded.

 “Things change every day. I am therefore far from making prognoses.

“What is certain, however, is that in the future we will continue to pursue our successful path of signing young players with outstanding skills.

“The examples Joshua Kimmich, Kingsley Coman, Alphonso Davies and Jamal Musiala are proof that FC Bayern is a club where exceptional talents can develop into top international players.”

Real Madrid are also in the hunt for Haaland, and will reportedly decide between the Norwegian and Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe for who they will pursue as their Galactico signing this summer.