Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke admits the club can do little to prevent Erling Haaland from leaving for Manchester City should the Premier League champions coming calling.
One of the leading strikers in Europe at the age of 21, the Norwegian international’s future has been the subject of much debate.
Linked with almost every big club around Europe, Haaland’s contract with Dortmund is believed to contain a release clause of around £63m, albeit one that must be activated before April 30, 2022.
City, having missed out on Harry Kane last summer, have reportedly struck an agreement with the player himself, although Real Madrid continue to be linked.
In 82 games for Dortmund since joining from Red Bull Salzburg in January 2020, Haaland has scored 80 times and become both the fastest and youngest player to reach 20 Champions League goals in March 2021, doing so in just 14 games.
Speaking to German newspaper Bild, Watzke admitted Dortmund would be powerless to stop him leaving, just as they were when Robert Lewandowski joined Bayern Munich and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang left for Arsenal.
“Erling Haaland? We know still nothing from player side,” he said.
“But we know that we won’t be able to keep up financially if Manchester City come.
“It already happened with Lewandowski to Bayern and Aubameyang to Arsenal”.
