The truth on the Haaland Pursuit

Chelsea insider Dan McCarthy provides clarity on the club's potential pursuit of the Norwegian forward

Erling Haaland, the 20 year old Norwegian powerhouse of whom every top football club in the world wants leading their line in the next year or two. The forward has been heavily linked with Chelsea in recent weeks, with plenty of news outlets reporting so, accompanied with “updates” on the West London club’s pursuit of Haaland. Where do we stand as of now many are wondering…

Do Chelsea hold an interest in the player?

Yes. Roman Abramovich and the board are huge fans of the player and would love to bring the player to West London. Thomas Tuchel is a fan also, meaning both the board and manager are aligned in wanting to see Haaland play in Chelsea blue.

Is Haaland interested in Chelsea?

Yes. We understand Haaland would be very much open to a move to Chelsea, this year or next. With that said, this year is preferable for most mentioned parties, given the guaranteed increased competition for his signature next year, alongside a cut price release clause currently in the player’s contract with Borussia Dortmund.

Has there been communication between the parties?

Yes. We have been told confidently that communication between the ‘business’ parties, including his agent Mino Raiola has occurred. That communication at this point would’ve been preliminary talks figuring out if a deal is plausible, is there interest from the player, etc.

What’s the latest in Chelsea’s pursuit?

There has been no official bid from Chelsea, we know that. The last I was told was that Chelsea’s number one priority this window is a centre forward, and Haaland is top of that list. I was also told they are weighing up the financial package necessary to prize the player from Germany, however, this is dependent on player sales and outgoings (something I have maintained for weeks now).

To elaborate further, it isn’t about if Abramovich can afford it; he can. With that said, Chelsea Football Club is a business. Also, Marina Granovskaia is the one in charge of transfer dealings and financials, meaning she will be the one negotiating the deal and ‘running the numbers’ as such. Furthermore, Chelsea have a wage structure in place, in correspondence with remaining financially stable and ethical. A deal of this magnitude would smash this scheme, which is what the club are weighing up. Also, squad balance/size is essential.

Dumb it down for me Dan…

Sure. No bid has gone in from Chelsea. No significant movements have happened as of yet due to many factors, such as Chelsea behind the scenes weighing up their targets and financial capabilities, Haaland being on holiday, etc. A deal of this size takes a lot of time, patience and back and forth, especially when you remember which clubs and agents are involved.

Will Chelsea make a bid?

We do not know, as of yet. I must remind you, Chelsea typically do their business late, under the radar and typically go aggressive once a first bid has gone in. We have been told confidently Chelsea will wait till after the European Championships to strongly pursue their targets, which gives us 9-10 days from this piece.

With that said, another source told me Chelsea are weighing up numerous packages regarding their incoming activity. Whilst Haaland remains the number one CF target, I have maintained not to rule out other potential targets here yet.

A lasting message…

Many of the recent ‘updates’ are often regurgitated news, in order to keep the masses interested. Nothing significant has happened between the parties as of yet, hence a lack of monumental news on this particularly saga. When there is a worthwhile update, we will bring it to you as soon as we possibly can.

Stay patient, stay respectful, stay optimistic, Chelsea fans.

Written by Dan McCarthy - @MaccaSport