The 2021/22 season is less than a month away and Chelsea’s preseason campaign is already in motion. Apart from the players who went deep into their respective national continental competitions, everyone else has already joined the squad. However, unlike the previous year, the Blues have been quite silent throughout the transfer window. To be fair to the board, there is no need to sign just anyone for the sake of it. Chelsea has a squad with more than enough depth. It will only improve with the addition of returning loanees and academy call-ups. Nevertheless, Thomas Tuchel’s Blues still lacks a forward who can guarantee them 20+ goals per season.
As such, Chelsea has been linked with a few of the top-level strikers; among them, Borussia Dortmund‘s Norwegian sensation, Erling Haaland. Haaland is the one who seems the most likely No. 1 target, despite the reluctance from the German club to sell him this summer. Barring any extraordinary, late changes, Haaland will ply his trade in the German Bundesliga for at least one more season.
Should Chelsea continue to pursue Erling Haaland this summer?
One of the reasons why the Blues haven’t given up is the release clause of €75 million in Haaland’s contract, which kicks into effect next season. Such a relative value will mean there will be a host of clubs trying to sign him next summer. Due to his current valuation sitting around €150 million, there is virtually no competition for Chelsea if it is willing to spend that money right now. As always, the Blues will be in talks to reduce the sum as much as possible.
The question to be asked, however, is should Roman Abramovich fund such a huge amount on a player who just turned 21 and was relatively unknown only two years ago? If he can replicate the form he has shown in the past two years and inspire Chelsea to a handful of titles, it’s all good. Nevertheless, the club also needs to look at other factors.
Only one player has been sold for an amount greater than what Dortmund is demanding for Haaland: Neymar. The Brazilian is a globally known player with millions of fans around the world and he is in the news almost every day. Haaland, on the other hand, is the exact opposite of that. He is from a nation that is not a huge market like Brazil or South America and he is reserved compared to Neymar’s ostentatious personality. If the past two years are anything to go by, Haaland does not seem like a player who puts himself in the spotlight off the field like Neymar. However, by being a part of one of the most popular clubs in the world, the buzz around the Norwegian would improve amongst casual football fans.
Another factor is the potential resale value if he ever were to leave or if Chelsea tried to make a profit off Haaland. It is very unlikely there would be any club willing to pay over €150 million for the striker, even if the market values have an impact like Neymar’s transfer from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain. The market was seemingly forever changed by the impact of COVID-19.
Currently, after Olivier Giroud’s departure to AC Milan, the Blues have three recognized forwards in Armando Broja, Tammy Abraham and Timo Werner. The hero of the Champions League final, Kai Havertz, is also familiar with playing through the center. Thomas Tuchel will now have a proper preseason under his belt and with more experience, it would not be farfetched to say better numbers can be expected from the aforementioned players in the upcoming season. Tuchel will know he has to deliver and hopefully he will be more than ready for the 2021/22 season, that is both with or without Haaland.
Do you think the Haaland pursuit is worth it? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!