The German side will not be rushed into a decision despite intense interest in the Norwegian frontman
Borussia Dortmund are relaxed about transfer interest in Erling Haaland and have not set a deadline to decide his future, says sporting director Michael Zorc.
The 20-year-old Norwegian is currently one of the most in-demand players in world football, with the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City and Manchester United all vying for his signature.
Dortmund have repeatedly said they have no plans to sell the striker this summer, with Zorc revealing he has reiterated the club’s stance to his agent Mino Raiola.
What did Zorc say about Haaland’s future?
Dortmund are no strangers to dealing with transfer speculation surrounding one of their star players, with Manchester United heavily linked with a move for England forward Jadon Sancho last summer.
Sancho ultimately ended up staying in Germany, with Dortmund reportedly setting the Red Devils a deadline to come up with an acceptable offer that came and went.
The club do not appear to be using such tactics on this occasion though, with Zorc equally relaxed about Raiola’s trip to Spain last week to hold talks with Real Madrid and Barcelona.
"I don't see the need to set deadlines [for transfers] at the moment.” said Zorc.
"With Erling Haaland, we have a clear stance which we have communicated to the parties involved.
"Yesterday I spoke to Mino Raiola. We've made our intentions very clear. It's no problem when Alfie [Haaland's father] and Mino want to take a sunbathe on the Mediterranean Sea.
"I am relaxed because I know what we want."
The bigger picture
Dortmund have been consistent in their desire to keep Haaland despite the intense interest in his services.
They see him as central to their future plans under new boss Marco Rose, who takes over this summer, and showed with Sancho last year that they will not be bullied into selling a prized asset.
Failure to qualify for the Champions League may increase the pressure to sell but they would still demand a sky-high fee for a player who still has three years left on his contract.
Such a fee may prove prohibitive for even the game’s biggest clubs given the financial hit caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
A release clause worth a reported €75 million (£67m/$92m) also kicks in next year, meaning those clubs may yet decide to sit tight for another 12 months.