Man United and Man City will face off today in the highly-anticipated Manchester Derby, but that is not the only area in which these two English giants are set to do battle, with recent rumors suggesting they could go to war over the signature of world football's hottest young player.
That man is none other than Erling Braut Haaland, the Norwegian goalscoring machine who is regarded by many as the next big thing. After bursting onto the scene with RB Salzburg in the UEFA Champions League last season, the 20-year-old earned a move to Dortmund and has gone from strength to strength in the Bundesliga, scoring 33 goals in 26 starts for BVB.
His form has garnered attention from Europe's elite clubs, with Real Madrid said to be heavily interested in the Norwegian. The two Manchester giants are also closely following his situation, with both teams keen on acquiring his services.
The Citizens' reasons are obvious. Sergio Aguero is a world-class striker but the Argentine is 32 and will be out of contract once the current campaign ends. As a result, Guardiola's side are keen on finding the successor to Kun, who has been dealing with injury issues as of late. According to the Times, they have turned their attention to Haaland.
As for the Red Devils, the Dortmund player they were prioritizing over the summer was Jadon Sancho but the 20-time Premier League champions also have their eyes on Haaland. It should be noted that they were interested in signed the forward from RB Salzburg only to lose out to his current Bundesliga employers.
While the German side could become a force to be reckoned with if they hold onto Erling, the club could benefit heavily from selling him this summer. The Norwegian is said to have $86M release clause but that won't come into effect until 2022, meaning the club attain a transfer fee worthy of his true marker value in the upcoming summer window.
One worrying aspect is his agent Mino Raiola, a man both Man United and Man City have had issues with before. Solskjaer's side already have a strained relationship with the 53-year-old due to Paul Pogba, another player he represents, with the agent angering the Old Trafford several times with comments regarding the Frenchman's future.
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