Bayern Munich CEO Oliver Kahn has revealed the club “tried everything” to sign Erling Haaland during the 2022 summer transfer window.
FC Hollywood were one of a number of clubs who held talks with the superstar striker while he was on the books at Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund – where he scored a quite ridiculous 86 goals in 89 games in all competitions in two-and-a-half seasons.
Haaland would eventually sign for Manchester City for a fee of around £55m, with Bayern opting to sign Sadio Mane as their replacement for Robert Lewandowski.
While Mane has struggled for form in Bavaria, Haaland has thrived in Lancashire, breaking the all-time single Premier League season goalscoring record. The 22-year-old has 35 strikes to his name and also scored crucial goals to knock Bayern out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage.
Speaking about Haaland to BILD Sport, CEO Kahn has now revealed the lengths Bayern went to in order to try and push through a move before coming up short.
“We tried everything for Erling Haaland one year ago and went to our financial limits,” the former goalkeeper said. “We had to decide: do we want to break our wage structure? We weren’t ready for that. That’s not Bayern-like.”
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In light of Haaland’s move to Manchester and Mane’s indifferent form in Munich, 90min understands that Bayern are already prepared to listen to offers for the latter – the Senegalese international has played second fiddle to Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting in recent weeks – and are pursuing a move for Eintracht Frankfurt’s Randal Kolo Muani.
Talks have been held with the Frenchman’s representatives about a potential move to Bayern, though Frankfurt’s CEO Axel Hallmann recently suggested that a bid of at least €90m would be needed for a deal to be agreed.
“Kolo Muani? When I look at the international market, I imagine a different number than €90m – more than this,” he said. “He has a long-term deal. My absolutely ideal scenario would be that he stays with Eintracht.”
The 24-year-old has scored 13 Bundesliga goals and 21 in all competitions after joining from Nantes on a free transfer last summer.
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On this edition of Talking Transfers, part of the 90min podcast network, Scott Saunders, Graeme Bailey & Toby Cudworth discuss the possibility of Neymar joining Newcastle, Jude Bellingham’s decision on his future and Lionel Messi leaving PSG.
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