Who needs Haaland? Moukoko will be Dortmund's next €60m sale

FT Desk

• 6 Nov 2022 05:02 CST
• 3 min read

Erling Haaland has hit the ground running since leaving Borussia Dortmund for Manchester City in a €60m transfer this summer, but BVB have already replaced him with the 17-year-old Youssoufa Moukoko…

Haaland, himself still only 22, already looks to be a generational striker, and after hitting 86 goals in 89 games for Dortmund has already raced to 23 in 17 with City. His 18 in the Premier League have already matched Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's single-season record for a Norwegian.

But Dortmund haven't been left licking their wounds since seeing Haaland leave, and Moukoko, with his brace in a Saturday's 3-0 win over Bochum, is now the youngest player ever to reach 10 Bundesliga goals - at the tender age of 17 years, 11 months and 17 days.

READ: Youssoufa Moukoko: Why Dortmund aren’t worried about expiring deal

Dortmund paid Ajax €34.5m for Sebastien Haller's services this summer, but a testicular tumour means he is yet to play. Anthony Modeste - a prolific scorer with Cologne - was drafted in as his replacement, but Moukoko is fast making both signings look unnecessary.

The danger for Dortmund is that Moukoko is out of contract at the end of the season, but he is likely to extend his deal before being sold for big money later.

Moukoko 'at home' in Dortmund'

"I've been here for seven years," he told German TV channel Sport1 after the Bochum haul. "I have [BVB manager] Edin [Terzic]'s trust, and know the environment very well. I really feel at home here."

READ: Real Madrid not interested in bidding war for Endrick and Bellingham

Even if Dortmund tie Moukoko down for now, it is their modus operandi to sell at or soone before a player's peak. Jadon Sancho left for Manchester United in an €85m move last summer, and Jude Bellingham looks increasingly likely to leave at the end of this season with Real Madrid, Manchester City and Liverpool jostling to sign him.

Moukoko will leave in time, but not before his Football Transfers value of €13m at least quadruples - something it is on course to do if he keeps improving at the same rate.