Real Madrid force Erling Haaland into a spectacular transfer rethink

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland may need to reassess his opinion of Real Madrid after Wednesday’s 3-0 Champions League loss at the Bernabeu.

Pep Guardiola’s side were brushed aside by a Fede Valverde-inspired performance from the hosts, with the Uruguay star bagging a spectacular hat-trick in a victory that gives Los Blancos every chance of reaching the quarter-finals.

The result may also make Haaland think again about his transfer options ahead of the summer.

Haaland remains a Real Madrid target

Real Madrid retain interest in the Norway international striker, despite his comparatively poor recent form.

That continued at the Bernabeu as he registered only 10 touches, completed just three of his seven attempted passes and failed to get a single shot away on a disappointing night on both a personal and team level.

Nevertheless, L’Equipe revealed Haaland is still seen as a dream option for Madrid president Florentino Perez, who would like to see him paired in attack alongside Kylian Mbappe.

Similarly, Barcelona have been eyeing the player as a potential replacement for Robert Lewandowski, who is expected to leave Camp Nou as a free agent in the summer.

‘They don’t convince me’

Haaland’s stance towards a transfer to either Real Madrid or Barcelona, however, has been emphatic.

“They don’t convince me,” the former Borussia Dortmund striker is said by Fichajes to have told those close to him.

It goes on to claim that Haaland is “prioritising winning titles above everything else”.

Currently, though, City look likely to end the season without any major silverware.

At the beginning of the campaign, their major goals were the Premier League and Champions League titles. Seven points behind Arsenal in the former and facing a mammoth task to progress in Europe in the latter, Haaland’s best bets for glory come in the domestic cup competitions.

Real Madrid make Haaland eat his words

Real Madrid, meanwhile, showed what a force they are with their blistering Wednesday night display.

The Norway star is said to have reservations over their financial strength and their ability to keep competing for major honours, believing that City is the more stable project, despite uncertainty over Pep Guardiola’s future.

What Alvaro Arbeloa’s side showed in the Champions League should make Haaland reconsider his options: Real Madrid very much remain a powerful European force.

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