Liverpool will be firmly “in the running” to sign Erling Haaland when he leaves Borussia Dortmund.
That’s the view of Dutch footballing great Ruud Gullit, who believes that the presence of Jurgen Klopp could tip the scales in their balance.
Haaland looks set to leave Dortmund at the end of the season, when his £68million release clause becomes active.
A who’s who of Europe’s biggest clubs will be in the reckoning to sign the 21-year-old, after yet another prolific goalscoring season.
In 799 games for the German giants, Haaland has scored 80 times, whilst creating 21 further goals for his grateful team-mates.
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Former Chelsea and Newcastle boss Gullit thinks that because of Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool have a genuine chance of winning a race which will also include Manchester City.
“I see him in England but I don’t think he goes to Manchester United. City would be good for him because of Pep Guardiola,” Gullt told BILD. “But Jürgen Klopp and Liverpool would also be great.
“What Jürgen has done with this club is unbelievable. You just have to love him and he’s always hungry. That suits Haaland.
“In Spain only Real is an option. These are the three clubs that will be in the running for Erling.”
Super-agent Mino Raiola has hinted that his client is ready to take the next step in his career and listed several clubs - not including Liverpool - that could sign him.
“He can and will take the next step. Bayern, Real, Barcelona, City – these are the big clubs he can go to,” he said at the start of December. “City have won the championship five times in recent years, significantly more than United. When we moved to Dortmund, we all knew that this step would come.”
However, Raiola quickly clarified his comments, suggesting that the Reds would have a chance at signing the game’s most sought after forward.
“I mentioned Barça as a potential example of a new club for Haaland… it doesn’t mean he’ll go to one of the clubs I mentioned yesterday,” he explained.
“I can mention many other clubs for Haaland: Real, Barça, Atlético, Man City, Chelsea, Liverpool.”
Liverpool are on the verge of evolving their much vaunted front three with Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah all out of contract in 2023.
The Reds are locked in negotiations with Salah, but the signings of Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz have hinted a changing of the guard could be on the way.
Haaland would certainly fit the bill of leading a new-look Liverpool side in the later years of Klopp’s tenure on Merseyside.
Recent reports from Spain have claimed that Haaland’s preference is to join Real Madrid, to possibly link up with Kylian Mbappe for years to come.
