Borussia Dortmund sign Erling Braut Håland, ‘likely’ opening door for Jadon Sancho exit

The January transfer window isn’t even open yet, but Borussia Dortmund have already pulled off its biggest coup. For just €20m (plus twice as much in fees and incidentals, plus another massive chunk in wages of course, totaling possibly up to €100m), they have agreed to sign the biggest emerging star in world football, Erling Braut Håland, the highly coveted RB Salzburg goal machine. He will officially join on January 3.

BVB beat just about a who’s who of European football’s elite to the 19-year-old’s signature, who apparently (and wisely) chose this (semi-)intermediary step to further his development before taking the (assumed) final leap the big(gest) time. Chelsea were tenuously linked, though most reports agree that it’s Manchester United who were the closest and thus most gazumped.

But Håland may yet factor into Chelsea’s transfer plans. As soon as the deal was announced, speculation began about what it might mean for the future of Jadon Sancho. He doesn’t quite play the same position as Håland, but most expect that the striker’s arrival means it’s even more likely that Sancho leaves at the end of the season.

And where does most speculation expect the 19-year-old to end up? Chelsea! Hurray!

Sancho will likely cost north £100m — alleviating any concerns about where BVB might be getting their funding for Håland — but Chelsea reportedly have a warchest of at least £150m, so we’re good there. With Pedro gone, Willian’s future not assured, and Hudson-Odoi struggling to properly recover from his injury, Sancho’s signature would certainly not be an unwelcome development.