Borussia Dortmund will not sell Erling Braut Haaland this summer — reports

Despite all the “breaking news” about Chelsea wanting to make a move for Erling Braut Haaland in the summer, joining the rest of Europe’s elite, this particular dance is just in its beginning stages.

It didn’t take long for various German sources to report what logic would also dictate: just simple pushing from the Blues will not convince Borussia Dortmund to part with their star-boy after just 1.5 years, even if we waive much more than the €75m release clause coming up in 2022 in their direction.

Obviously, BVB also know that they won’t be able to hold on to Haaland forever, especially if the 20-year-old’s agent, Mino Raiola decides to start his usual shenanigans (which, evidently, he may be doing already). However, their CEO, Hans-Joachim Watzke isn’t exactly unfamiliar with such situations either, and will not be an easy foe to vanquish in this transfer battle.

“I don’t think that will happen. Erling and his advisor Mino Raiola know what they have in us. I can only advise him to do things like Robert Lewandowski. (He) gave himself the time to mature into an absolute world-class player in Dortmund. You won’t be able to do that in a year.”

“Because it is clear that if Erling should leave us at some point, then he will only go to an even bigger club. And so many are not considered. If you go to a club like — just to give an example — Real Madrid go, you have to be world class.”

- Hans-Joachim Watzke; source: kicker

At the end of the day, after all the talking, posturing, and rumor-mongering is done and played out, the only thing that will help is paying the right price — or in this case, over-paying, probably. There will be an amount at which Dortmund will be willing to do business, be it €120m or €180m or €223m. Whether Chelsea are willing to go to such lengths will define the success of this operation.