Ballon D’Or winner Ruud Gullit believes Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool may be the ideal destination for Erling Haaland, telling BILD that the Dortmund striker is unlikely to join Premier League underachievers Manchester United.
If you thought the January window was exciting, then strap yourselves in.
Next summer, Kylian Mbappe, Paulo Dybala, Paul Pogba, Franck Kessie, Antonio Rudiger, Marcelo Brozovic, Ousmane Dembele and more will be out of contract.
Haaland, meanwhile, will be available for a ‘bargain’ £67 million due to a release clause in his Borussia Dortmund contract.
“I see him playing in England,” explains Gullit, the 1987 Ballon D’Or winner and former Netherlands, Chelsea and AC Milan star. “But I don’t think he’s going to Manchester United.
“Manchester City would be good for him because of Pep Guardiola. But Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool would be great too.
“What Jurgen has done with that club is incredible. You just have to love him and he’s always hungry for more. That suits Haaland.
“In Spain, only Real Madrid is an option. These are the three clubs that will be in the race for Erling (Real, City and Liverpool).”
Could Liverpool really sign Erling Haaland?
Klopp described Haaland as an ‘extraordinary talent’ last year. A ‘force of nature’.
Since joining Dortmund from Red Bull Salzburg, the Leeds-born Norway international has scored a scarcely-believable 80 goals in 79 games.
And it’s worth pointing out that, when Robert Lewandowski was Haaland’s age, arguably the finest centre-forward in world football right now was still plying his trade in Poland with Lech Poznan.
Even Cristiano Ronaldo still had a lot to learn at the age of 21. Two years away from his first Ballon D’Or, equal parts thrilling and frustrating.
Haaland, however, already feels like the finished article. Whoever signs him next summer will be signing a striker capable of dominating the football landscape for a decade at least.
All for less than Arsenal paid for Nicolas Pepe…
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