Bayern Munich chief rules out Erling Haaland move
By Tom Gott
Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has ruled out a move for Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland this summer.
The 20-year-old Norway international is the most-wanted player on the planet these days, with Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea and Real Madrid all rumoured to be plotting bids of well over £100m to bring Haaland in.
There have also been unconvincing rumours suggesting Bayern could join the race, but Rummenigge has moved quickly to quash them and questioned why anyone would take the stories seriously because Bayern already have Robert Lewandowski.
“I don't know where the rumours have come from," he told Sportbild. "I can only say one thing: we have the world's best footballer in this position, Robert Lewandowski, who has a contract until 2023.
"And I am convinced that with his professionalism - if you just see how he trains and takes care of his body - he's not coming to the end of his career just yet. Lewandowski is well on the way to breaking Gerd Muller's record of 40 goals in a Bundesliga season. He is at the height of his career."
You want to know where the rumours came from? Your own manager, Hansi Flick.
In March, Flick insisted that 'nothing can be ruled out' when it came to a potential move for Haaland, but spending £150m on a player to replace Lewandowski, who has managed 97 goals since the start of last season in all competitions, always seemed a little far fetched.
Haaland is doing his best to keep up with Lewandowski this year. His 21 goals in as many Bundesliga games is an inhuman record, and yet the Pole's return of 35 in 25 is a whole new level of ludicrous.
?? When Erling Haaland became the youngest player in Champions League history to score 20 goals ⚽️⚽️@ErlingHaaland | @BVB | #UCL pic.twitter.com/1F6NnuhzER
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 24, 2021
Haaland has been in outstanding form, but Dortmund have struggled to make the most of that. They have slipped to fifth in the league table and are facing a battle to qualify for the Champions League, but Rummenigge insisted he still sees Edin Terzic's side as his biggest competition in Germany.
"For me, what matters most is UEFA's five-year rating," Rummenigge explained. "Dortmund are still ahead of Leipzig, who are obviously doing well, but I would never underestimate Dortmund. They have a good team, they're just having a difficult year."