Dortmund president backs Haaland move to Real Madrid within three years despite City's fury

Borussia Dortmund president Hans-Joachim Watzke has waded into the Erling Haaland transfer saga, declaring he is certain the Manchester City striker will eventually play for Real Madrid — even as City threatens legal action against those fuelling the speculation.

Watzke, who worked closely with Haaland during the Norwegian’s time at Dortmund, said he has direct insight into the 24-year-old’s ambitions. “I know very well what he thinks, and I can say that he certainly admires Real Madrid and would like to play for them in the future, but next season he will continue playing for Manchester City. Without a doubt,” Watzke told reporters. “He loves Real Madrid and he doesn’t hide it. I think he’ll be playing there in two or three years, but not that soon. He hasn’t committed to anyone as his father has said.”

The comments add a significant new voice to a saga that erupted when Real Madrid presidential candidate Enrique Riquelme pledged on Spanish television to sign Haaland if elected. Riquelme also claimed a release clause exists in Haaland’s contract — a claim City flatly rejected. “The stories which have emerged from Spain regarding the future of Erling Haaland are untrue,” City said in a statement. “There is no chance of this happening and there is no contractual clause to enable it. We are considering legal action for the use of our player image in this context.”

Haaland signed a new nine-and-a-half-year contract with Manchester City in January 2024, tying him to the club until 2034. His agent Rafaela Pimenta and father Alfie Haaland also moved to distance themselves from Riquelme’s claims, issuing a joint statement that read: “All very entertaining but not true. We wish all the best for both candidates in the Madrid elections.”

Riquelme, however, has not backed down. Speaking after the initial furore, he insisted that if he wins Sunday’s presidential election, talks with Haaland’s representatives will begin immediately. “It’s normal, it’s an election, there are two candidates — no one is guaranteed to win, and they have to protect the player,” he said. “Starting Monday, we’ll talk, we’ll sit down to talk with them.”

Watzke’s intervention is likely to irritate City further. While the Dortmund chief stopped short of suggesting any move is imminent, his assertion that Haaland privately admires Madrid and intends to play there eventually directly contradicts the narrative City has sought to establish. With Haaland under contract until 2034 and City in no mood to negotiate, the gap between the club’s public position and the speculation swirling around their star striker shows little sign of closing.