Mino Raiola made headlines across European media last week as he candidly spoke about the future of his high-profile client. The Dutch agent also hinted that Erling Haaland will be leaving Borussia Dortmund next season and name-dropped a few top clubs that could be his destination. Bayern Munich was one of these few clubs.
Die Roten seem to have briefed entirely different thing about their stance on Haaland. According to Sky Sports, the Bavarian club has no plans to join the race for prolific Norwegian striker. Instead, Bayern is focused on extending the contract of Robert Lewandowski.
The financial aspect of the deal to bring Haaland to the club will surely put off Die Roten. Hasan Salihamidzic publicly confirmed interest in the young striker, but former club CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has always been pessimistic about Bayern signing him.
Haaland will command a significant outlay in terms of wages, transfer fee, and big commission for Raiola. Die Roten had been very mindful about their wage structure for many years, so it will make no sense for them to dismantle it for one player. The likes of Manchester City, Chelsea, and Paris Saint-Germain are likely to be prime contenders to sign the Norwegian striker.
Bayern don't want to and will not try to sign Erling Haaland. In addition to the financial aspect, the club only wants to extend Robert Lewandowski's contract. Talks with Lewandowski are planned over the next few months [@SkySportNewsHD] pic.twitter.com/Igp5Hh0pgM
— Bayern & Germany (@iMiaSanMia) December 14, 2021
There are very few doubts about Haaland’s quality. If he continues to develop as he has done until now, then surely, he will go down as one of the best strikers in the game. However, there is a lot of baggage that comes with him, particularly Raiola, which will put off Die Roten.
Moreover, Lewandowski has shown no signs of slowing down. The Polish striker has consistently admitted that he would like to enjoy more success with the club. Lewandowski has also refused to rule out ending his career in Bavaria. His current deal is set to expire in 2023, but the German club will reportedly open talks with him for a new contract in 2022.
With the possibility of signing Haaland out of the picture, Die Roten will have to find another forward that can replace Lewandowski in the long run. Going by his recent performances, Lewandowski is not slowing down for at least two more years. However, his workload will need management when he gets near mid-30s, so a young striker will have to arrive in the next two years.
Lewandowski has been linked with Real Madrid once again, but that boat seems to have sailed. The Polish striker has been enjoying a lot of personal and collective success in the past couple of years. He is more than likely to end up signing the new contract.