Erling Haaland’s signature is a much-sought-after one but it will not come cheap and, for Jurgen Klopp, the “crazy” figures will not see Liverpool dip their toes into the market.
21-year-old Haaland is one of the most exciting young players and his name has been linked with Liverpool for some time, as well as most of the top European clubs.
The Norweigan forward has 80 goals in 83 appearances for Borussia Dortmund, while his time with former club Salzburg saw his record sit at 29 goals in 27 games – talk about prolific.
Haaland is contracted with Dortmund until 2024 but has an agreement with the German club that can be triggered this summer for a tabled bid of £63 million – but that is only part of the financial commitment.
He is expected to move on, but reports suggest his hefty wage demands, agent fees and transfer fee could amount to more than €350 million (£292m) over the duration of a deal.
His suitors will be limited and, for Klopp, those very numbers are something Liverpool will “have nothing to do with.”
“We will not be going near there,” Klopp told Sport Bild. “The numbers being mentioned out there are crazy. We have nothing to do with them. No chance.
“To be honest, that’s something I honestly don’t want. That’s no fun at all.”
It’s no surprise considering how Liverpool operates under Klopp and FSG, with big-money transfers coming few and far between unless signposted as transformational pillars.
Alisson and Virgil van Dijk more than met that brief and continue to do so, but Klopp’s words certainly suggest Haaland will not follow suit, not with the figures that are currently making the rounds that is for sure.
The manager has spoken highly of the youngster in the past, calling the striker “a force of nature” and “an extraordinary talent,” one Reds look set to only see as a member of the opposition.
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