Manchester United have been handed a major transfer boost in their attempt to lure Erling Haaland to Old Trafford this summer.
The Borussia Dortmund superstar alerted interested clubs last week when he revealed that he was being put under pressure to 'decide my future in January.'
“Borussia Dortmund are now pushing me to make a decision about things but I just want to play football,” he told Norwegian TV channel Viaplay Fotball.
“That probably means that I will soon have to get things started. Borussia Dortmund have started to put lot of pressure on me."
This was immediately rebuffed by the club days later but sporting director Michael Zorc, who said that Dortmund were 'surprised' by Haaland's comments.
"Erling's statements surprised us a bit,' the Dortmund chief told Kicker.
"There is currently no deadline, no deadlines, and there have not even been any discussions.
"But that we want and have to have talks at some point is clear, understandable and only professional."
And chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke has backed up Zorc, saying that news of pressure from the club is 'total b*******.'
“That one or the other medium writes that BVB would certainly give him an ultimatum, which is total b*******," he told ARD.
“Erling was obviously a bit bothered by it, but we can’t influence that. We told him that too.”
With no pressure on Haaland to decide his future this month, United have been given more time to prepare a package to Dortmund and the striker's agent, Mino Raiola.
But they face pressure from a host of clubs including Manchester City, Barcelona and Real Madrid.
United and Dortmund concluded a deal for Jadon Sancho last summer after years of negotiating and have a rich history with Raiola, who currently represents Paul Pogba.
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