8:30pm: Blues confident top transfer target will sign this summer after Abramovich decision
According to Transfer Window Podcast, Ian McGarry has claimed that Chelsea are extremely confident over striking an agreement with Borussia Dortmund for Erling Haaland.
The 20-year-old Norwegian has emerged as the top transfer target for Chelsea with the club eyeing reinforcements in attack due to the departure of Olivier Giroud and the uncertain future of Tammy Abraham who was out of favour under Thomas Tuchel in the second half of the last season.
Dortmund, though, are reluctant to let go of their boy wonder who has plundered as many as 57 goals in just 59 games for the club since signing in the January transfer window last year. They are said to be wanting up to £150m for the Norwegian attacker, a sum much higher than the release clause amount that will come into play next summer.
And McGarry claims that the Bundesliga outfit is just trying to ensure that they milk as much transfer fee as possible while adding that Chelsea remain confident of a deal, having already agreed on wages with the forward. (h/t Express)
“They are confident that Haaland will come in. We did report some time ago that the wages for Haaland, which are very substantial, have been signed off by Chelsea and Roman Abramovich and it’s now just a case of agreeing a fee with Dortmund.
“Dortmund are playing hardball but we’ve been here before with Jadon Sancho and Manchester United. They know what the situation is regarding his get-out clause, which kicks in next summer. And therefore Chelsea are confident that they will be able to get this deal done because Dortmund do not want to lose the player and lose around €40m-€50m in value as it stands.”
A substantial offer close to their asking price should certainly be hard to turn down for Dortmund. With Abramovich taking a personal interest in the transfer and signing off on the deal, things could move swiftly in the coming weeks.