Chelsea owner Abramovich ready to break his own rule to land Haaland
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is ready to break one of his own rules to sign Erling Haaland this summer, claims a report.
The Russian billionaire is set to make it his “personal mission” to get the prolific striker to west London this summer. So much so that the Daily Star claim he is more than willing to break a rule he set the club in 2017.
Abramovich is understood to have insisted that Chelsea would never again do business again with Haaland’s agent Mino Raiola after Romelu Lukaku slipped through their grasp.
Chelsea thought they had a deal sewn up for Lukaku when he left Everton. Instead though the striker signed for Manchester United and the parties fell out.
Raiola has an increasing number of talented players on his books including Lukaku and Haaland.
Chelsea though again look likely to go up against United for Haaland this summer. It’s understood both teams have made the 20-year-old their top summer target.
Manchester City, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are also in the hunt for the Norway striker, who has scored 31 goals in 30 games this season.
The report claims Abramovich is focused on gift-wrapping Haaland as a summer present for new boss Thomas Tuchel.
'Manchester City should do everything to sign Erling Haaland'
Speaking on The Early Kick-Off, The Athletic's Roshane Thomas says Manchester City should do everything they can to sign Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland.
Chelsea spent big last summer with some high-profile signings and they are ready to break the bank to secure Haaland.
Haaland has a release clause in his contract worth around £64m which can be triggered in the summer of 2022.
But it looks as though Dortmund will cash in on the player this summer with Raiola eyeing a transfer fee well in excess of £100m.
Reports in Germany earlier this month claimed Haaland would only consider a move to six clubs in Europe, with Chelsea not on that list.
However, PA news agency claimed Blues bosses were unfazed and would press on with their long-term plan to try to lure one of the world’s top talents to Stamford Bridge this summer.
Haaland is said to insist on Champions League football next season and that could elude him if he stays with Dortmund.
Dortmund are in a struggle to finish in the top four in the Bundesliga. Chelsea meanwhile face their own race in the Premier League. However, their recent good run of form has put them in fourth spot, three points ahead of West Ham.
Meanwhile, Antonio Rudiger says he was “close” to leaving Chelsea for Tottenham in September and declared his “love” for the Stamford Bridge club.
The Germany defender has proven a key man for new boss Thomas Tuchel at the heart of Chelsea’s backline.
In the 12 games Tuchel has been in charge, Chelsea have kept 10 clean sheets. Rudiger has started in eight of those games and their top-four charge is back on.
The 28-year-old had fallen down the pecking order under Frank Lampard and appeared destined to leave.
Tottenham were in for the defender and our exclusive revealed how Rudiger skipped a game back in September in order to push through the move.
Rudiger makes Mourinho admission
Lampard though managed to steer him away from a transfer and now a change of manager has dramatically changed the outlook for Rudiger.
However, with his contract due to expire in summer 2022, Chelsea are well aware of the need to tie Rudiger down.
“Everyone here at the club knows how much I like this club. At the end of the day it is down to the people who make these decisions but for me, at the moment is to concentrate on important matches and targets,” said Rudiger ahead of Wednesday’s date with Atletico Madrid.
“Like I always said, to me, even at the beginning of the season when things didn’t go my way, I was always calm, like now. At the end of the day I cannot give myself a contract. I love it here at Chelsea, they will always be my priority number one.
“Some things I saw coming but then I was not in the squad and I didn’t see that coming but I took it on the chin.
“I was close [to leaving] there were two teams that maybe one I was considering was PSG and then there was Mourinho. I had a chat with Lampard and then I was back on the bench.
READ MORE: Tuchel tells reporters to ‘go read a book’ when quizzed on Chelsea star’s future