Manchester United will still look to sign Erling Haaland next summer and are prepared to make the Borussia Dortmund star their top target. That is despite the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo at Old Trafford.
Dortmund star Haaland will be the top target at United in the summer of 2020 despite the arrival of Ronaldo.
The Portugal international has returned to Old Trafford 12 years after his departure to a huge fanfare.
Fans are over the moon to see the 36-year-old back in red and is one of the biggest transfers the Premier League has ever seen.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have been instantly elevated to one of the favourites to win the title.
But the return of Ronaldo has some worried that there will not be a move for a striker in the future with Edinson Cavani in his final year at the club.
However, according to ESPN, United remain hellbent on bringing Haaland to Old Trafford and will make him a top target next summer.
The Norway international is hot property after a transfer to Chelsea failed to materialise over the 2021 window.
It means that he will likely spend the rest of the season at Dortmund before a release clause worth £68million comes into action in 2022.
That will spark a feeding frenzy where the top clubs such as Real Madrid, PSG, Manchester City and Barcelona will all enter the fray.
But United believe they are at the front of the queue for Haaland and will make a move for the 21-year-old regardless of Ronaldo’s arrival.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has signed a two-year contract, with an option for a third, worth £500,000-a-week.
And Haaland would also command a similar salary packet, while his agent Mino Raiola is also set to scoop a piece of the pie.
Reports from Germany revealed that the Norwegian’s camp had demanded €50m-a-year from Chelsea and agent fees worth €40m.
That would work out at a mouthwatering £800,000-a-week and that could even increase considering that his £68m release clause is much less than his actual market value.
United came close to signing Haaland when he was at RB Salzburg and first made headlines in the Champions League in 2019/20.
However, Dortmund beat the Red Devils to his signature where he has remained and only developed further into one of the most lethal strikers in the world.
Solskjaer and Haaland remain in close contact ever since he coached him for Molde back in their homeland Norway.