Unfinished Business: Players Who Have Returned to Their Clubs
There are few feel-good stories in football as those of players who have returned to their clubs, finishing the unfinished, or helping in times of need.
Last summer Jadon Sancho's transfer to Manchester United filled the headlines on a daily basis but the winger stayed with Borussia Dortmund. German club's CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke states similar will happen in the case of Erling Haaland this summer and explains why.
BVB can lean on their healthy financial situation and refuse the offers that are below the demand, as they did last summer when United didn't meet the €111,000,000 appraisal for Sancho.
"When Covid-19 struck, we had no debt. Not one euro. Because of that, it is a comfortable situation. We do not have to sell a player. That is important. The rich clubs in the world, they must know when they want a player from Borussia Dortmund there are two possibilities. The first is that I tell them they have no chance. Other times, I will tell them 'this is the price'. Then they must know this is the price. It is not another price. We are very clear. We are very honest," explained Watzke.
Even though it is expected that Haaland will join Manchester City, Real Madrid, or Barcelona this summer, Watzke believes he is set to stay at Westfalen.
"I do get tired of it. Last summer, everybody in England, everybody in Europe, every journalist told the public 'Jadon Sancho will play for Manchester United or wherever'. But he is still playing for Borussia Dortmund. Now everybody writes 'Erling Haaland will next season play for Real Madrid or for Barcelona, or for this or this'. The only way is to look after 1 September at where he is playing. I think I know where he will be playing but that is all I have to say."
City's manager Pep Guardiola insinuated that Borussia is able to have such a good team because they are the ones ready to overpay football agents. But Watzke had a response to that.
"In the last five years they have spent nearly 1bn euros on new players. In five years. Who has the possibility to make this? He has not to criticise other clubs. Dortmund is not a club where you must have big visions because you don't have big money. If I had money like other clubs, who can spend 1bn euros in five or 10 years on the team, then you can have visions. What I want to have for the next years is that we get the status to be one of the best 10 or 12 clubs in Europe and normally to win some titles in Germany."
