Real Madrid opened talks with the agent of Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland with the sole purpose of driving up the striker’s price for their rivals, according to reports.
The Spanish giants are one of several top sides to have shown interest in the Norway international, along with the likes of Barcelona, Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea.
But Eurosport reports that Madrid don’t want the 20-year-old and only feigned interest in order to raise Dortmund’s demands from interested clubs.
Madrid have been put off by the high commission being demanded by agent Mino Raiola and will instead focus their attention on PSG forward Kylian Mbappe.
The relationship between the La Liga giants and Raiola has soured after previous failed efforts to sign clients of his like Paul Pogba and Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Real sent two representatives to talk to the agent while he was in Spain last week, when he also met Barcelona.
However, the Bernabeu outfit weren’t interested and instead hoped that the negotiations would leave Barca needing to pay a higher price for Haaland.
Madrid’s priority is instead France World Cup winner Mbappe and they believe that any move to sign Haaland would compromise their efforts to land the PSG star’s signature.
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