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Erling Haaland will eventually make his way to Real Madrid by 2029 due to the Manchester City forward's deep-rooted "love" for the club, according to long-time Borussia Dortmund executive Hans-Joachim Watzke, who worked closely with Haaland during a pivotal stage of his development.
Haaland has established himself as one of the elite strikers in world football since his breakthrough at Red Bull Salzburg in 2019, followed by high-profile moves to Dortmund (2020) and City (2022).
The Norwegian is contracted at Manchester until 2034, yet has been named by Real Madrid presidential candidate Enrique Riquelme as a priority signing should he unseat Florentino Pérez from the presidency. While it's common practice for candidates to court votes with such pledges, Riquelme's promise to land Haaland has been firmly dismissed by both the player's father and his current club.
Nevertheless, regardless of how Sunday's Real Madrid election plays out—with members casting their votes on June 7 at the club's basketball arena—Watzke believes Haaland could still find himself in the Spanish capital one day. Not imminently, but within a realistic window.
Watzke, who served as Dortmund's CEO for two decades until 2025 and now holds the role of club president, was the man who brought Haaland to the club and possesses deeper insight than most into the prolific striker's mindset.
"I know him well enough to say that he genuinely admires Real Madrid and would love to represent them at some point, but next season he will remain at Manchester City. That's certain," Watzke told Spanish outlet AS.
"He has a real affection for Real Madrid and makes no secret of it. I believe he'll be there in two or three years, just not anytime soon. He hasn't made any commitments, as his father has confirmed."
Back in March, Haaland's agent Rafaela Pimenta told La Sexta following speculation linking him to Barcelona: "Things are going extremely well for him and there's genuinely nothing to discuss regarding a transfer when life is this good at City."
How Could Real Madrid Sign Erling Haaland?
A key element of Riquelme's claim about acquiring Haaland was his assertion that a release clause exists within the player's contract. Paired with what the 37-year-old energy entrepreneur alleged was the player's own desire to join Real Madrid, it appeared to make the prospect relatively uncomplicated.
Manchester City's rebuttal of any such "contractual clause to enable it" was unequivocal. The Premier League club is even "considering legal action for the use of our player image in this context."
Pimenta, a trained lawyer who now leads the prestigious roster of players built by the late Mino Raiola after years of handling contracts and legal matters behind the scenes, stated in 2023 that she has never finalised a player contract without a release clause. However, given City's firm denial and her own admission to ESPN just last month that the club is the most challenging she has dealt with due to having "no leverage" in talks, serious questions have now been raised about that approach.
Securing Haaland without a triggerable release clause, with eight years still remaining on his deal, would be virtually impossible without an astronomically high—and wholly unrealistic—offer.
The only realistic path for any club to sign Haaland would require the player himself to actively push for an exit from Manchester City. There's no way of knowing what the situation will look like in 2028 or 2029, aligning with Watzke's projected timeline, but as things stand, that scenario appears highly improbable.
Real Madrid's Jürgen Klopp Blow
José Mourinho is reportedly lined up to take charge at Real Madrid on a three-year deal, but only in the event that Pérez is returned to office. Riquelme's preferred candidate for the dugout is former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp.
The German has been identified as a future managerial target for Paris FC, backed by employer Red Bull's minority ownership in the ambitious French club. However, Watzke, who was Klopp's superior for seven years at Borussia Dortmund, sees no possibility of the three-time league title winner taking the Real Madrid job this summer.
"We speak frequently," Watzke noted, highlighting the continued strength of their bond.
"He's a tremendous coach—he's always demonstrated that—but right now he has absolutely no desire to manage any club. He won't be signing with anyone. He's firm on that. He knows what he wants, and returning to management at this moment simply isn't something he's considering."