Manchester United could pounce on Chelsea's pursuit of Erling Haaland
Manchester United are plotting to offload one of their starters to snatch Chelsea target Erling Haaland. The Borussia Dortmund striker has been a potential target for many football giants, with Tuchel's Chelsea leading the race to this point, according to Mundo Deportivo via Daily Star.
The Theater of Dreams remains a desired destination for many football stars. The undeniable fame and recognition that a United player gets is simply unmatched. Manchester United are pondering their options to match Haaland's hefty price tag.
Their ultimate motive now is to include one of their players in the deal to reduce the astronomical price by some margin in return.
Manchester United's proposition for Haaland
The player tipped to aid United in this potential move is none other than French forward Anthony Martial. The 25-year-old Frenchman has been a hit-and-miss kind of a player for the Red Devils over the past couple of seasons. His lack of better judgment has often shot his side in the foot.
Last season he managed to miss 20 matches due to several of his ailments. Right now, he is tending to his ruptured knee ligament. Nevertheless, all that is eclipsed sometimes by some brilliant display of his raw talent, which he manages to pull off during times of desperation.
Thus, his transfer fee could rise to £58m with bonuses.
The situation has now developed into a power play between the Red Devils and the champions of Europe. While Chelsea made their impactful purchases from the Bundesliga last season, United are trying their best to imitate the former's path to success by taking a keen interest in Germany's top tier.
The obvious thoughtful choice to consider someone like Erling Haaland was fundamentally along the lines of having already acquired Haaland's partner at Dortmund in Jadon Sancho. It simply looks like a no-brainer, as the talismanic partnership of Haaland-Sancho was one of the deadliest in Europe.
This was a significant factor, which helped the Norwegian score 40 goals in 43 matches in all competitions for the Black and Yellows last season.
Meanwhile, Borussia Dortmund's management have transparently stated that their Norwegian icon is not for sale this summer's transfer window. The club remains adamant on its stance on the striker's position, even though his release clause will drop to £65m next summer. But as we see every time a set price is met, Dortmund never say no to profiteering.
United have managed to bring in Raphaël Varane from Real Madrid to reinforce their defensive department. The move has been officially announced, as both clubs are in agreement on a transfer.
This makes the Haaland pursuit quite tricky. After bringing in Sancho for £73m, United desperately needs to sell their redundant assets to generate immediate funds to make their statement signings.
United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær has found financial backing from the club, which will put him in a tight spot if he fails to deliver results. It's a double-ended sword for Ole next season and it's as if he fails there is no way he will stay at Old Trafford.
The way they have invested is enough to challenge their derby counterparts, Manchester City, for the coveted Premier League title and make them a proper contender for the European title.
The Blues will not be compliant with losing out on Haaland. Being the winners of the Champions League, former Dortmund and current Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel will try everything to include Erling Haaland in his grand scheme of things.
After Oliver Giroud left for A.C. Milan, the addition of a like-for-like striker remains a top priority for the side.