Dortmund have ´no alternative´ to Haaland, would listen to ´exceptional´ Sancho offer – Watzke

Borussia Dortmund do not have an “alternative plan” should Erling Haaland leave the club, but they would listen to an “exceptional” offer for Jadon Sancho, according to managing director Hans-Joachim Watzke.

Norway international Haaland is in high demand after netting 49 goals in 50 appearances for Dortmund, attracting interest from the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City and Manchester United.

He has scored 21 goals in 22 Bundesliga games this term, adding another 10 from six games in the Champions League, a competition in which he tops the scoring charts.

Haaland’s agent, Mino Raiola, is reported to have been in contact with a number of clubs as speculation over the 20-year-old’s future grows.

But, according to Watzke, the Bundesliga outfit are not prepared to envisage life without him.

“We do not have a parallel plan,” he told Goal. “We will discuss this in peace with Erling, his father and his advisor Mino Raiola. 

20 – Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland has now scored 20 goals in 14 UEFA Champions League appearances; the quickest a player has ever reached 20 goals in the competition, and in 10 fewer appearances than the previous record holder (Harry Kane, 24). Astonishing. pic.twitter.com/jaUCwVmIks

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 9, 2021

“We also want him to be happy to stay with us, to score goals for BVB next year with conviction. There is no alternative plan.”

Another player heavily linked with a move away from the club is England international Sancho. 

Manchester United were reported to be close to a deal for the 21-year-old before the start of the 2020-21 season, but Sancho stayed in Germany. 

He has played 31 games across all competitions this term, scoring 12 goals. 

While Watzke expects a quiet off-season following the turmoil inflicted by the coronavirus pandemic, he said the club would not dismiss a significant bid for Sancho.  

Asked what the likelihood of Haaland and Sancho both playing for Dortmund next season is, Watzke responded: “I’m not getting involved in probabilities, it’s no good. 

“Jadon Sancho has been with us much longer than Erling Haaland. We’ll have to speak to Jadon, too. If there is an exceptional offer, we will discuss it with the player and the agent, as always. 

“Nonetheless, I am very sure that the transfer market will only run to a very limited extent this summer. Especially with the really big clubs, you can see what kind of wounds coronavirus has inflicted. They are not small ones that heal within two weeks.”

Dortmund travel to Manchester City for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final clash on Tuesday.