This season's Champions League has so far been dominated by the goals of Erling Braut Haaland, and now it seems Red Bull Salzburg have put a price-tag on the Norwegian's head.
£86 million is the magic number being reported that will allow Haaland to move to his pick of the European elite, such is the speculation that has surrounded him.
According to Tuttosport, Salzburg are already putting the feelers out to interested parties, despite their sporting director Christophe Freund rubbishing the rumours around his star player:
"So much nonsense is written in the last few weeks. What I've read already makes me laugh," he told the Daily Mirror.
“I have not spoken to any club so far. I can also say there’s currently no offer for the winter [transfer window].
"The next step will come, because Erling will be unstoppable.”
According to The Guardian, more than 20 clubs are in the hunt for Haaland's services, with Salzburg thought to be open to selling him next summer.
Juventus reportedly tried to sign him in 2018, but couldn't guarantee first team football.
Manchester United have been heavily linked too, owing to Haaland's previous relationship with manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who coached him at Molde.
Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Manchester City, Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Napoli have all also scouted the player.
As for Haaland, whose penalty in this week's Champions League game against Napoli was his seventh goal of the competition, making him the fastest player ever to reach that total, he has been fairly forthright in what he thinks of the rumours around him:
"It's f***ing boring," he said. "I'm bored now. How bored on a scale of 1-10? 9.9."
As long as he keeps scoring goals, it's unlikely any of that speculation will go away.
Now read...
NEWS Arsene Wenger slams Barcelona as "a team in crisis"
LISTS 10 players you won't believe were shortlisted for the Ballon d'Or
