Andy Mitten joined us on OTB AM this morning fresh from watching both Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland in action in-person during the week in the Champions League.
The United We Stand editor saw wins for PSG and Borussia Dortmund at Barcelona and Sevilla respectively, with rumours aplenty over Haaland's club future in particular.
His teammate Jadon Sancho was the subject of unsuccessful bids from Manchester United last summer, and Mitten says in hindsight it was the Bundesliga outfit that misread the market.
"People think that Man United can go out and blow everyone out of the water for transfer fees, it's simply not true. And sometimes United are right to be hesitant, or just not pay the demands of Borussia Dortmund when they want 120 million for Jadon Sancho.
"That would have been a mistake - it was too much. Football's economy was declining, it was the German's who were being unrealistic, unwilling to compromise, unwilling to bend.
"Will they get 120 million for Jadon Sancho this summer, or next summer? I'll tell you what if they do I'll put a Liverpool shirt on the next time I come on the show for you! Because I can't see it happening.
"He's a very good player, I watched him closely the other night. But I think it's Dortmund that have misread the market, and not United."
Mitten also spoke about Norwegian striker Haaland, who has 10 goals in his last seven appearances in Europe's top-tier club competition.
"I went down to Seville and covered the game for TV and was being asked, 'Will he come to Spain?' I'm thinking well of course they would be.
"What heterosexual male wouldn't be interested in Elizabeth Hurley?! Whether you get that person or not is a completely different matter.
"I do not think that Real Madrid or Barcelona will be able to compete with PSG or Manchester City when it comes to a transfer fee for Haaland.
"He's probably one they can get over 100 million for, because he's so good. I think Haaland in Spain would be a huge success, because the Spanish league doesn't have any player like him. And I think he'd also be fine in the Premier League.
Looks like something can stop Haaland in Seville: fog. Flights cancelled, re-routed or delayed until it lifts. Fog in a city famous for sun. Yours, on a bus to Jerez as plane can’t land in Seville.
— Andy Mitten (@AndyMitten) February 18, 2021
"I see a shift towards the Premier League in terms of the financial power there, although I can see a decrease in transfer fees and even wages.
"I don't think the next television contract is going to be as high as the previous ones.
"From what I'm told with Haaland, [it'll be] another season or two, and then he'll move on to a 'super-club' if you like. If you're gonna push me I'd say Manchester City, but I don't have any evidence of him going there. But that's what I would envisage, far more than him joining Madrid.
"Barcelona have got massive financial problems - it's alright the front pages of the Catalan dailies saying 'We want to sign Pelé and Maradona' and all these world incredible stars.
"There is a financial reality which is very different to that."
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