Liverpool won’t be one of the clubs to try and sign Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland this summer as the club’s owners are “more interested in bottom lines than trophies”, according to a football finance expert.
Haaland has scored an incredible 78 goals in his last 79 matches for Borussia Dortmund and former club RB Salzburg, leading to interest from numerous clubs around Europe.
A report in The Athletic today estimates that it could cost any interested club £400m over five years to sign the Norway international.
FEATURE: Top ten next managerial destinations for Jose Mourinho
Kieran Maguire, a football finance expert, has ruled Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham out of the race for Haaland, while he reckons Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United are the only English clubs that could afford him.
“Can Chelsea physically afford him? The answer is yes,” Maguire told The Athletic. “There’s always the spectre of financial fair play to take into consideration but we don’t know where that’s headed.
“We know (owner Roman) Abramovich has the money should he choose to sanction it. Chelsea and Manchester City are two clubs that could afford him in theory. Manchester United as well.
“Tottenham theoretically could but they won’t, of course. Their wage bill is substantially behind its peers. Liverpool would find it more challenging because (owners) FSG are more interested in bottom lines than trophies.
“Arsenal are trailing behind those now. Realistically, there are not too many options for Haaland in the Premier League.”
Maguire thinks if Haaland can help guide his potential new side to Champions League glory a couple of times during his contract then he would pay back a significant sum in prize and television money.
“The difference between getting out of the group stages of the Champions League and winning it is worth around £50 million in a season for additional prize money,” Maguire added.
“Then you’ve got sponsor bonuses, match-day returns and then the European Super Cup and the Club World Cup.
“If Haaland came in and delivered once or twice, in terms of the Champions League, then financially you’d get quite a lot in return for your investment. With Manchester City as well, that’s very much the prize they’re after.”
The post Liverpool ‘prefer income to trophies’ amid £400m Haaland report appeared first on Football365.