Erling Haaland: "Borussia Dortmund can be even better without Jadon Sancho"
Erling Haaland has teased the prospect of "an even better" Borussia Dortmund in the season ahead, despite the departure of Jadon Sancho to Manchester United.
Sancho registered 38 goals and 45 assists in 104 Bundesliga appearances for Dortmund, furnishing Haaland on seven occasions over the past one-and-a-half seasons.
Statistically, the England international has been among the league's very best for total goal involvement since becoming a first-team fixture in 2018/19, but Haaland is confident the likes of Gio Reyna, Marco Reus, Thorgan Hazard, Raphael Guerreiro and Julian Brandt can step into the creative void.
Watch: The best of Jadon Sancho at Borussia Dortmund
"Jadon and I had a really good understanding, he's a top player and it's sad he's gone, but that's football," Haaland said from Dortmund's pre-season training camp.
"There are a number of other players I work well with. It can even be better. We'll just have to see who I work best with."
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Haaland has already hit it off with American teenager Reyna, as well as club captain Reus. Furthermore, he had Belgium international Hazard, Portugal international Guerreiro and Brandt to thank for a chunk of his 27 Bundesliga goals last season. Other players to assist a Haaland goal in the Bundesliga include centre-back Manuel Akanji, Real Madrid-owned Reinier Jesus, Germany international Emre Can and academy product Ansgar Knauff.
The 21-year-old also scored a competition-leading 10 UEFA Champions League goals, and a further four during Dortmund's triumphant DFB Cup run. All told, the Norway international has 57 goals to show for his first 59 competitive outings for Die Schwarzgelben.
"When I score a goal, I'm already thinking about the next one," he said after helping himself to a brace in Dortmund's DFB Cup final win over RB Leipzig in May.
"I've won my first trophy. Now I want more. I have big dreams."
Watch: Erling Haaland's first full Bundesliga season
Haaland will get his next shot at silverware on 17 August, when Dortmund host record champions Bayern Munich in the DFL Supercup.
He is embarking on his second full season at the club, having made the switch from Red Bull Salzburg midway through the 2019/20 campaign.
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