Erling Haaland came close to joining Bayern Munich before his record-breaking move to Manchester City, with the Norwegian striker even jokingly asking for the sporting director’s house "for free" during transfer talks.
Haaland met ex-Bayern boss Hasan SalihamidzicBavarians made serious push to sign strikerMan City 'outbid' German championsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Journalist Christian Falk’s new book , which is being serialised in , reveals the inside story of Bayern Munich’s pursuit of Haaland in 2021, when he was still starring for Borussia Dortmund. Haaland, alongside his agent Mino Raiola and father Alfie, was courted by Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic, who invited the striker to his villa in Munich. Bayern reportedly presented "the best arguments" about their sporting project, promising to make Haaland the centrepiece of their future.
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From the book, Falk revealed: "Haaland drives to Brazzo's house and finds himself face to face with the Bayern sporting director. 'I like the house. I'd like to have it,' Haaland tells Brazzo, before adding, 'But for free!' The cheeky remark breaks the ice between the two. Haaland is impressed by how the Bayern management is acting as a team. They show him how the club is planning for him and how they intend to build the team around him.
"He is THE player of FC Bayern's sporting future, they told him. Bayern will go beyond the limit financially to sign him, something never before seen in the club's history. The words had an impact on Haaland Then Raiola picks up the phone. He tells Salihamidzic: 'You've convinced the boy! Now we need to talk about money.' The agent tells him about the demands. Salihamidzic tells Raiola that he needs to consult with the boards in Munich. While Bayern can't pay as high a salary as Premier League clubs, team Haaland is assured that father and son will receive a generous share of any future record sale.
"Raiola wasn't just holding talks with Bayern. Together with Haaland's father Alfie, he was travelling halfway across Europe to listen to offers from clubs. Raiola calls FC Bayern: 'The transfer won't happen. What I can tell you is that you were top of the list for a long time, from a sporting perspective. You had the best arguments. But financially, you were outbid.'"
THE BIGGER PICTURE
While Haaland was open to the move and genuinely interested, Bayern could not match the financial packages on offer from England. The club promised generous terms, including a share of any future sale, but City’s proposal blew them out of the water. By the summer of 2022, Haaland sealed a move to Manchester City instead, where he has since scored 127 goals in 149 appearances and fired Pep Guardiola’s side to multiple trophies.
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Now 25, Haaland remains under contract with City for another decade and continues to be linked with Real Madrid and other European giants. But Bayern’s failed pursuit underlines just how close the striker was to wearing red in Germany, rather than blue in Manchester.
