[Sport] Where next for Erling Haaland? Dortmund’s Champions League run could help decide

[Dr@g0n]

 

It is a week that, in very basic terms, sums up why Erling Braut Haaland chose Borussia Dortmund in the first place. It could well be influential in his next choice too.

The Bundesliga club are having a bad season having sacked Lucien Favre, but they are still within touching distance of the Champions League places - and, crucially, still in the competition.

 

The chance to produce on club football's greatest stage could genuinely be important this season, amid a greatly suppressed transfer market.

Everyone in the game wants Haaland, and the question about his future is set to be the sport’s next great saga along with that of Kylian Mbappe, but the reality is many clubs are wondering whether they can actually afford him. Barcelona, for example, have a lot of sales to try and get through before they can even think about getting into position for a bid

 

It remains true in the emotion-led world of football, however, that big performances in big games can have a persuasive effect. Clubs may suddenly see it as much worse business to miss out, especially for someone who sometimes feels like football’s version of Jonah Lomu.

This could be relevant to Haaland’s own ideal career plan.

 

The 20-year-old wants to eventually play in England, but maybe not for some time. The view is that the Premier League is the most physically demanding, with the most rigorous schedule, and it does create the possibility that power-based players burn out quicker. Haaland and his father, Alf-Inge, have noted the way forwards like Michael Owen, Fernando Torres and Wayne Rooney had to change their game after bursting into the game so young, and having played a lot of football in the Premier League.