Mino Raiola and Alf-Inge Haaland visited Spain last month, where Erling Braut Haaland was said to have been discussed with Barcelona and Real Madrid. The agent of the Norwegian striker of Borussia Dortmund says that the trip actually had a completely different purpose. Still, Raiola dares to talk to ASH to state that a transfer from Haaland to Real Madrid or Barcelona is possible.
“As with all star players, football comes first for him and then everything else. In that he is no different from Cristiano Ronaldo or Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Football is central to their lives. Haaland doesn’t know any restaurants in Dortmund, he trains hard to get better. Ultimately, the greatest champions are the simplest people. It is also important to have a good woman by your side, that completes your circle ”, says Raiola about Haaland, who was already discovered by the agent when he was still playing at Molde. He then ended up at Borussia Dortmund via Red Bull Salzburg. In front of those Boruses he scored 53 goals in 56 games.
“If you tell us the reason for the trip to Spain, you won’t believe it. Haaland’s father had to go to Marbella, he wanted to travel and so did I. I had to congratulate Laporta and go to Madrid for a while, so we did those things in one go. In 99 percent of the cases, I travel without anyone knowing where I am, ”says Raiola about the trip to Barcelona and Real Madrid. “The strange thing is that you don’t have a private terminal in Barcelona. There is paparazzi available 24 hours a day. They were waiting for an actress, I think. It was not a sports paparazzi. Anyway, I don’t have to hide it either. I talk a lot with Barcelona. ”
Raiola is asked whether Haaland has already expressed a preference for a club. “No, I don’t care if he tells me that now. He should tell me when he has everything in his head. Then I can make a menu. That is not possible now. All we know now is that we have spoken seriously with Dortmund and they have said, ‘We don’t see us doing this’. They have now said so, but we have to see if that wish still exists towards September 1. Dortmund’s position is good, but I have a different view. I think that when a good opportunity presents itself and everyone is satisfied with it, we should continue to do so. ”
“Haaland is interested in two things: scoring goals and winning prizes. He will make a choice where those two things can most easily happen. I can’t lie. It’s hard to say no when a club like Barcelona or Real Madrid is coming. Paris Saint-Germain joins the group with big clubs, Manchester City is trying to join, Juventus has always been one of them ”, says Raiola. “It is also important in which competitions these clubs play. PSG plays in the worst league. Bayern is in an attractive league, but we all already know who is going to win it. In Spain you always have three candidates. ”
Can Real Madrid afford the arrival of Haaland at this point? “I don’t know because I haven’t studied finances. But I do think Real Madrid can afford Haaland. But the other question is: Can Real Madrid afford not to buy Haaland? And Barcelona? It may be difficult, but I don’t think it’s impossible that Barcelona can afford him. That is the job for the leader of a club. A train passes and you have to decide whether to jump on it. That is the big question. ”
Raiola is confronted with the fact that Real Madrid is likely to target Kylian Mbappé this summer. “The big clubs have the following problem. Mbappé still has one year of contract left. PSG can do two things. Not letting him go and then losing him on a free transfer, which is what Borussia Dortmund did to Robert Lewandowski a few years ago. That’s a brave position. Or they can sell it now. That depends on the club or the player. A player’s future never depends on another player. It depends on him. You should know that Messi and Neymar can play together, as Ronaldinho played with great players in one team. Great footballers can always play together. ”