Chelsea (opens in new tab) are plotting an enormous bid for Erling Haaland, according to reports.
The Blues are on the hunt for a new centre-forward to lead their line this summer, and Haaland has been strongly rumoured to be their top target.
Borussia Dortmund (opens in new tab) have been reported to want as much as €200 million (around £170 million) for the Norwegian, who last season continued his prolific goalscoring form by becoming the youngest player to reach 20 Champions League goals.
According to Football Insider (opens in new tab), Chelsea are ready to test the German club's resolve with a £130 million offer for their most prized asset - but that owner Roman Abramovich won't sanction a fee any higher than that.
If Dortmund really are demanding the kind of money being reported, though, surely this is a non-starter?
Haaland only turned 21 this week, and while it's very much a matter of when and not if he moves to one of Europe's elite sides, another season with the Black and Yellows - who will be playing Champions League football once again in 2021/22, which ought to give would-be buyers a bit less leverage - isn't going to do him any harm whatsoever.
That's before we even mention that Dortmund have already lost Jadon Sancho this summer, with the England forward finally completing his move to Manchester United (opens in new tab) on Friday. BVB's model relies on developing young players and selling them on for a whopping profit - but they're still hardly going to want to lose two massive hitters in one window.
It seems likely that Chelsea will have to turn their attentions elsewhere - or wait until at least next summer to land one of world football's most sizzling properties.
In fairness, they have been linked with Robert Lewandowski - who, let's face it, would probably suffice as an alternative...
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