Chelsea have already been warned Erling Haaland and Romelu Lukaku partnership may not work

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Borussia Dortmund talisman Erling Haaland has been linked with a sensational move to Chelsea for some time, with Thomas Tuchel believed to be a keen admirer of his services. The 20-year-old has been touted as a potential future strike partner for Romelu Lukaku, who became Chelsea’s record signing upon his return to west London over the summer.

Haaland has emerged as one of the world’s finest marksmen during his time with Dortmund, racking up an incredible tally of 70 goals from just 69 appearances in all competitions.

Chelsea were credited with an interest in landing the Norwegian over the summer and reportedly tabled at least one bid for his signature, which was swiftly rejected by Dortmund.

However, Haaland’s release clause of around £68million will come into play next summer, potentially allowing the Blues to bring him to Stamford Bridge on the cheap.

Tuchel recently suggested that he would consider the possibility of deploying Haaland in attack alongside Lukaku, who is also one of the planet’s most feared strikers.

The pair scored 61 goals between them last season and such a partnership would undoubtedly strike fear into the hearts of Premier League goalkeepers across the country.

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However, Lukaku’s former Inter Milan team-mate Stefan de Vrij has already hinted that it may not have the desired effect in practice.

He explained to Niewsblad back in September that Haaland employs a similar playing style to Lukaku, suggesting that they might lack the required synergy to benefit each other in a two-up-top system.

“He reminds me of Romelu,” said De Vrij when quizzed on the Dortmund star.

“Obviously I played a lot against him during training. You can compare them in terms of their style of play, so I knew what to expect.”

Haaland has already scored on nine occasions from just six Bundesliga appearances this season and is showing no signs of slowing down in front of goal.

It remains to be seen whether Chelsea will be able to pip the likes of Manchester United, Real Madrid and Manchester City to his signature ahead of next season.

The forward is a long-term target for the Red Devils and Real Madrid, while City are in need of a world-class marksman after failing to land Harry Kane over the summer.

Meanwhile, Tuchel admitted earlier this week that a move for Haaland was previously discussed behind closed doors at Chelsea prior to Lukaku’s arrival in west London.

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“We talked about Erling Haaland a couple of times, including during the transfer window,” the Chelsea boss told reporters.

“But then it seemed absolutely unrealistic and not at all feasible. We talk about him regularly, of course.

“Because he’s a fantastic player and clearly the defining figure at Dortmund, who is a big rival for us in the Champions League.”

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