Erling Haaland has revealed that Borussia Dortmund is pressuring him to make a decision on his future.
Haaland is currently regarded as one of the most promising young talents in world football. Dortmund is naturally eager to keep the Norwegian and sign a new contract with him.
However, the striker has piqued the interest of a slew of large teams, and many expect him to leave Signal Iduna Park this summer.
On Friday, Haaland was at his freakish best for Borussia Dortmund, scoring twice in their 5-1 Bundesliga demolition of Freiburg.
The Norwegian’s goal-scoring exploits are nothing new, and they have, understandably, sparked a lot of curiosity about his future. For the first time after Friday’s battle, the 21-year-old discussed his future plans.
“I’ve opted not to say anything over the last six months out of respect for Dortmund,” Haaland told Viaplay.”
Now the club is pressuring me to make a decision, but all I want to do is play football,” says the player.
He realized he’d have to make a decision regarding his future in the not-too-distant future.
“They force me to make a decision about my future right now,” he explained, “which means I have to make a decision soon.”
“I’ve always maintained that I want to focus on football because that’s when I’m at my best, not when I’m thinking about other things.”
“They’ve been putting pressure on us for a time now. So, let’s get this party started.”
When asked when he would make a decision, Haaland stated that he only wants to focus on helping Dortmund right now.
“Not just now,” the Norwegian explained, “since we’re in the middle of a difficult stretch with a lot of games.”
“All I want to do is play football,” says the player.Haaland is under contract with Dortmund until June 30, 2024, with a 75 million euro release clause this summer.
Real Madrid and Barcelona, as well as top Premier League clubs, have all been associated with him, with all of them willing to pay the money required to capture the services of a player who is poised to dominate European football for the next decade.
Borussia Dortmund’s Erling has been a prolific player. After a good tenure with RB Salzburg, Haaland joined Borussia Dortmund in the winter transfer window of 2020.
In the second part of the 2019-20 season, he had a strong start, scoring 16 goals in 21 games across all competitions. In the 2020-21 season, the Norwegian stepped it up a notch, scoring 41 goals and dishing out 14 assists in 41 games for the Black and Yellow.
Haaland has had a similar start to the 2021-22 season, scoring 21 goals and adding 10 assists in just 19 games. He missed half of the season due to a hip flexor injury, but he’s back in top form for Marco Rose’s team.
Since joining Borussia Dortmund, the striker has been involved in 99 goals in 77 games. He has 78 goals and 21 assists on his resume. In 15 games for Norway, he has also found the back of the net 12 times.
