Dortmund show shrewdness in January transfer window

Many clubs spend hundreds of millions in an attempt to be top dogs in their league or even in the European game. Spending money does not guarantee a club success. However, some clubs manage to maintain a healthy bank balance and a good team. One of the best examples at the highest level of the European game is German giants Dortmund.

A successful January for BVB

While it was relatively quiet around Europe when it came to big transfers in the January transfer window, there was one big in and one big one out at Dortmund.  BVB pulled off a major coup by activating the £18.5million release clause in the contract of highly-rated young Erling Haaland.

The 19-year-old arrived from Salzburg, where he had enjoyed a sensational first half of the season. While the Norwegian came in, out-of-favour Spaniard Paco Alcacer left to join Villarreal for a fee in the region of £21million. The Spaniard had only joined on a full-time basis last summer for around the same fee.

Alcacer had started the season in great form. However, injury and a loss of form led to the 26-year-old falling out of favour at the German club. Alcacer leaving BVB suited everybody involved. Somehow, Dortmund have sold an out-of-favour player and strengthened their squad by bringing one of Europe’s brightest young players. In effect, they have strengthened their team, while still being in credit.

Dortmund would treble their money on Haaland

Erling Haaland has made a magnificent start to his Dortmund career, scoring eight times in his first four appearances for BVB. Already he is looking like another shrewd piece of business from the European kings of doing a good deal.

Dortmund will certainly not be encouraging interest from elsewhere. However, incredibly the striker is already being linked with moving clubs again, with Premier League Manchester United still interested in signing the young striker in the summer.

Reportedly, Haaland chose Dortmund of the Red Devils. If that is true, then it seems unlikely the striker would want to make the move to the English north west in the summer. Media reports suggest that Haaland has a release clause of £63million in his Dortmund contract, obviously designed with his next move in mind.

BVB will of course not even be contemplating selling their new star striker at this point. When they do, if the reported release clause is correct, then the German giants will more than treble their money. It is the sort of deal that Dortmund have been helping BVB flourish in recent decades.

Haaland has fired Dortmund

The goals of Haaland, alongside the brilliant recent displays of fellow teenager Jadon Sancho, have inspired Dortmund back into the race for the Bundesliga title. BVB are now second-favourites to claim the German title this season at odds of 9/2.

For now, the youngster’s focus will be on scoring the goals that will aid Dortmund’s title challenge. He looks to have a bright future in the game. The move to BVB will only help his development, as the German clubs are experts at developing young players and turning them into highly accomplished individuals.

If he does continue to impress, then he will make another move at some point in his career. However, that seems like a nice problem for Dortmund to have in the future.

Could Erling Haaland prove to be the signing of the January transfer window?