BERLIN - Borussia Dortmund top striker Erling Haaland is close to sealing a transfer deal with Manchester City and a move to the lucrative Premier League, several German media reported on Monday.
Haaland is among the hottest transfer prospects this summer with the Norwegian 21-year-old having scored 61 goals in 66 league games for the Ruhr valley club since joining them in early 2020.
Several top clubs including Real Madrid, Paris St Germain and City, among others, have been linked with the player at times. Sky Germany, which holds the rights to the Bundesliga, reported on Monday the player had informed the club of his wish to leave and that Manchester City had contacted the club over the player's release clause.
Several other media, including Bild newspaper and Kicker magazine, citing unnamed sources, also said a deal could be finalized in the coming days. The club did not comment on the matter on Monday.
Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp said he was ready to battle City for more trophies in the future but admitted Haaland moving to their title rivals is a transfer that will take things to the next level.
"I signed a new contract (until 2026) knowing that City will not stop developing," Klopp told Sky Sports. "It's not about City to define if we can be happy or not. It's about us and what we can make of it. If Erling Haaland goes there, that will not weaken them. Definitely not. I know in the moment that other people talk about money, but this transfer will set new levels."
Dortmund are interested in Salzburg forward Karim Adeyemi as a possible Haaland replacement. Dortmund sports director Sebastian Kehl had said on Sunday that the club wanted to have clarity on the matter of Haaland this week.
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Additional reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
