Erling Haaland is one of football’s most sought-after players, and while Real Madrid have been tipped as one of the favorites to sign the Norwegian, the other being Premier League giants Manchester City, the latest rumors claim Los Blancos are losing ground in this battle.
Florentino Perez’s interest in the Dortmund sensation is no secret. In fact, the Spanish giants are keen on bringing both the former RB Salzburg talent and PSG sensation Kylian Mbappe to Santiago Bernabeu this summer, having moved ahead of bitter rivals Barcelona in the race to land his signature.
However, the Primera Division leaders are facing two key obstacles. The first, which will come as little surprise, is the player and his agent’s hefty financial demands. According to Marca, Mino Raiola is demanding a salary of 30 million euros net, a figure which Real Madrid aren’t willing to pay.
Additionally, while the report by Marca made no mention of a commission, the 13-time UEFA Champions League winners will likely have to dish out an agent fee to the infamous Raiola.
The second issue that has raised concerns in Madrid is the striker’s injury record. The 21-year-old has picked up 14 knocks already, three of which have occurred in this season alone. Given Real Madrid’s history with injury-plagued players such as Gareth Bale and Eden Hazard, Ancelotti’s side are understandably wary of history repeating itself.
According to Marca, Manchester City, the other leading candidate to land Haaland’s services, are willing to match his financial demands. However, a release clause could be inserted into a potential Etihad Stadium deal in order to safeguard Erling’s dream of one day playing in La Liga.
